Following Chhattisgarh, the Rajasthan government has issued an official directive asking police personnel to replace commonly used Urdu and Persian words in official documents with simplified Hindi alternatives. The move has sparked debates over language politics, inclusivity, and the potential erasure of cultural diversity in administrative communication.
According to the circular issued by the Rajasthan police department, terms like “Zimmedar,” “Muddai,” and “Maqdama”—which are of Urdu-Persian origin—should now be substituted with equivalent Hindi terms such as “Jimmedar,” “Shikayat Karta,” and “Mamla.” The directive claims the intent is to make official language more accessible and easily understood by the general public.
This initiative comes just weeks after the Chhattisgarh government implemented a similar policy. While the administration defends the step as a measure to ensure clarity in legal and bureaucratic language, critics argue that it is a politically motivated effort to marginalize linguistic traditions deeply embedded in India’s syncretic culture.
Several Urdu scholars and civil society groups have raised concerns about the directive, pointing out that Urdu and Persian words are deeply rooted in India’s administrative and legal history. “This isn’t about language accessibility—it’s about erasing linguistic heritage,” said one academic based in Jaipur.
The directive has also triggered reactions from opposition parties, who view it as another attempt to stoke cultural divisions and promote Hindi at the expense of other languages.
