Mother tongue, mother's identity: The story of Urdu in the words of Shammim Ahmed

By Muhammad Farooq
It is said that a person's identity is formed in their mother's lap, and their language is also determined by their mother. The voice that pours sweetness into our ears in childhood, the words that our mother lovingly repeats, is our mother tongue. It is not just a means of communication, but the foundation of our existence, a mirror of our civilization, and the most honest interpreter of our thoughts. This is the trust that we have received from our elders, and it is our duty to pass it on to future generations. When we speak in our mother tongue, the deepest emotions of our heart come out spontaneously.
This is why February 21 is celebrated as International Mother Language Day around the world, so that humans can stay connected to their roots and not forget the sweetness of their language.
But alas! Today, the question is, why is there a silence of death on the mother tongue? Why is the Urdu Academy silent? When schools are empty of teachers and the academy is wrapped in a cloak of indifference, how will we celebrate Mother Language Day?
On this special occasion, we are mentioning a person from West Bengal who not only raised his voice for his mother tongue, Urdu, but also took the entire movement on his shoulders. This personality is Shammim Ahmed, whom Urdu lovers affectionately call "Qaied-e-Urdu". He showed that if there is passion, an ordinary person can do a lot.
This was the time when the Left Front government was at its peak and had won a grand victory in 2006. It was not easy to raise a voice against the government at that time. Shammim Ahmed's own people were also scared, but he remained firm. He believed that if God had put this passion in his heart, He would also help him.
Shammim Ahmed himself says that he was not a professor of Urdu, nor a great writer or poet. He was an ordinary person who came to Kolkata from Delhi. A friend asked him to attend an Urdu conference in Dharmatala, and he went as an ordinary listener. There, it was announced that the government was willing to make Urdu the second official language. He also celebrated with others and congratulated them through newspapers.
But a few days later, it was discovered that it was all a lie, and the government had flatly denied it. That day, he realized that this was not a game, but a conspiracy, and his language was being deceived. He was angry, hurt, and then he decided that he would not run after anyone, but would start anew with his own efforts.
This was the era when the Left Front government was in power, and it was not easy to speak out against them. Shammim Ahmed's own people were also warning him, but he remained firm. He believed that if God had put this passion in his heart, He would also help him.
Shammim Ahmed started the campaign alone. He met people in villages and cities. In 2012, a gathering of thousands took place on the Metro Channel in Kolkata, and then the movement reached Jantar Mantar in Delhi. The enthusiasm of the people was amazing. Finally, the movement succeeded, and a bill was passed in the Bengal Assembly to make Urdu the second official language.
But the story does not end here. After the bill was passed, there was a wait of nine months for the governor's signature. Then, there were more movements, protests were held in front of Nadir Shah's tomb. Finally, the day came when the governor signed, and Urdu got its right. On that day, Shammim Ahmed announced that his purpose had been fulfilled, and now the responsibility of promoting Urdu lay with those who were educated in the language, who earned their livelihood from it, and who were poets and writers.
Now, the question is, what has changed in these 12-14 years? Has Urdu really developed? On International Mother Language Day, Shammim Ahmed again said in a painful voice that the situation is worse than before. He says that when the Left Front government was in power, Urdu did not have official status, but there were teachers in schools, and there was an environment of learning. Today, after getting official status, Urdu schools are empty of teachers. Thousands of posts are vacant, and recruitment is not taking place.
Shammim Ahmed has also questioned the functioning of the Urdu Academy. He says that earlier, the chairmen were big names in Urdu, who had complete knowledge of the language. Today, people who have no connection with Urdu have been placed in the academy.
He asks if someone who does not know Bengali can get a place in the Bengali Academy, then why is this injustice being done with the Urdu Academy? Here, people from shoe makers to contractors have been given a place. This is just a waste of government funds.
According to him, the academy's job is not just to organize mushairas and qawwalis. The real responsibility is to tell the government where there is a shortage of teachers, which school lacks basic facilities. If the academy continues to run on the support of five or six faces, how will Urdu develop?
Shammim Ahmed has directly appealed to the current chairman, Nadeemul Haq, to resign from the post if he loves the language, because only someone who understands Urdu, who has been educated in Urdu, can sit on this chair. He clearly says that until teachers come to schools, children get books, these decorative programs will not be able to save Urdu.
Shammim Ahmed's pain is evident. He is the person who, without any position, just with his own strength, got the language its right. Today, when he sees that the same language is being neglected again, his heart breaks.
On this International Mother Language Day, his message is clear that it is the responsibility of all of us to not just make our mother tongue a topic of celebration, but to keep it alive in schools, colleges, and streets. Love your mother tongue, read it, and teach it to your children. The mother tongue is our true identity.
Let us make a promise on this day that no matter how many languages we learn, we will never forget our mother tongue and will continue to try to pass it on to future generations. This will be the true tribute to the lakhs of people who made sacrifices for the language.
Happy International Mother Language Day to you! Take pride in your language, salute it!