Owaisi Calls for Dedicated Arabic and Urdu Universities to Preserve Cultural Heritage

By A Staff Reporter

AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday urged the government to create dedicated universities for Arabic and Urdu in various states, arguing that both languages hold deep cultural, historical, and diplomatic significance for India. Speaking during the ongoing Winter Session in the Lok Sabha, Owaisi said that promoting these languages was essential not only for preserving heritage but also for strengthening India’s global engagement.

Owaisi noted that Arabic, being one of the official languages of the United Nations, plays an important role in international relations, particularly in India’s long-standing ties with the Arab world. “Arabic, as one of the UN’s official languages, supports our cultural diplomacy and ties with the Arab world,” he said, emphasising the strategic value of educational institutions that could advance proficiency and research in the language.

He also highlighted the historical relevance of Urdu, which is among India’s 22 official languages and has its roots in the subcontinent. “Urdu… originated here and played a role in the freedom movement,” Owaisi said. Expressing concern over the decreasing number of Urdu speakers, he argued that only strong, well-supported universities could reverse the decline and revive interest among younger generations.

“Dedicated universities with strong infrastructure are needed to promote both Arabic and Urdu,” he said, urging the government to treat the request as a cultural investment rather than a political issue.