Telangana State Minorities Commission sends notices to passport offices

Hyderabad: The Telangana State Minorities Commission (TSMC) sent notices to Regional Passport Office, Hyderabad and all Passport Seva Kendras for ignoring Urdu in its signboards. While referring the language to be second official State language, it sought 'necessary action' to give appropriate place to Urdu on their signboards.

Following a petition received from Syed Abdul Rahman, a resident of Farooq Nagar, Falaknuma, the TSMC sent notices to the different passport offices seeking action. Citing the petition, it pointed out that the name board of the Regional Passport Office, Hyderabad and all Passport Seva Kendras (PSKS, POPSKS, POSLKS) of Telangana State were written in English, Hindi and Telugu, but the Urdu language has been ignored on the signboard.

"It is pertinent to mention here that the Urdu is a second language of the State and requires its placement along with other regional languages on the signboards. I hope that you will take languages necessary action to give appropriate place to Urdu language on your signboards etc," says the notice.

For the petitioner, who has been taking up the matter over 'missing' Urdu language signboards on both State and Central government institutions, this is the latest issue, seeking intervention of the TSMC as Urdu has been announced second official language after formation of Telangana. "The signboards installed at Regional Passport Office and all passport seva kendras have names in English, Hindi and Telugu, whereas Urdu has been compromised," he pointed out.

"Urdu is not only associated with India historically, but continues to be part of culture of State, irrespective of their religion, caste and creed. Moreover, avoidance to write Urdu on the signboards proves to be clear injustice with language," he noted.

Abdul Rahman, who is pursuing MA (Urdu) from Dr B R Ambedkar Open University is a member of SIO (Students Islamic Organisation). He has been seeking intervention of Minority Commission, wherever he finds Urdu missing on signboards at Government institutions. Earlier, he took up the matter related to Universities including UoH, Shatavahana, EFLU and Kaloji Narayan Rao which prompted TSMC to send notices seeking action within stipulated time.