In a letter written 19 days before his death, Mahatama Gandhi had admonished those who were opposing Urdu, asking them not to copy 'the bad manners of Pakistan with a vengeance' while advocating that it should be jointly recognised with Devanagari as national scripts.
In the letter, a rare manuscript that will go under hammer at Christie's in London on July three, Gandhi said opposing Urdu will 'put a wanton affront' on the Muslims, who 'in the eyes of Hindus have become aliens in their own land.'
Writing in his journal Harijan on January 11, 1948, Gandhi, who appeared disturbed with the dwindling circulation of its Urdu edition, said in the letter that it is likely to be stopped.
Praising Urdu, which he said 'is set free from bondage of orthodoxy,' he asserted that those who learn it will 'lose nothing but gain.'
At the same time he urged Muslims to learn Devanagari to 'enrich their intellectual' capital and subscribe to his journal.
Indian government has stepped up efforts to acquire the letter, which is likely to be sold for 9,000 to 12,000 pounds.
Following is the transcript of the Gandhi manuscript:
"Two weeks ago I hinted in the Gujarati columns that Harijan printed in the Urdu script was likely to be stopped as its sale was steadily dwindling. Apart even from financial considerations, I saw no meaning in publishing it, if there was no demand for it.
The Dwindle was to me a sign of resentment against its publication. I would be foolish if I failed to profit by it. My view remains unalterable especially at this critical juncture in our history.
It is wrong to ruffle Muslim or any other person's feelings when there is no question of ethics.
Those who take the trouble of learning Urdu script in addition will surely lose nothing and will gain knowledge of Urdu script, which many of our countrymen know.
If it was not for cussedness, this proposition will be admitted without any argument. The limitations of this script in terms of perfection are many. But for elegance and grace it will equal any script in the world.
It will not die as long at least as Arabic & Persian live, though it has achieved a status all its own without outside aid. With a little adaptation it can serve the purpose of short hand. As a national script if it is set free from the bondage of orthodoxy, it is capable of improvement so as to enable one to transcribe Sanskrit verses without the slightest difficulty.
Lastly, those who in anger boycott Urdu script put a wanton affront upon the Muslims of the Union who in the eyes of many Hindus have become aliens in their own land. This is copying the bad manners of Pakistan with a vengeance.
I invite every inhabitant of India to join me in a stern refusal to copy bad manners.
If they will enter the heart of what I have written, they will prevent the impending collapse of Nagri & Urdu editions of Harijan. Will Muslim friends rise to the occasion and do two things subscribe to the Urdu edition and diligently learn Nagri script and enrich their intellectual capital? New Delhi 11.1.48 M K Gandhi."
