Justice Markandey Katju, a former Supreme Court judge of India, has actively discussed the misconceptions surrounding the Urdu language in India. He argues that Urdu, often mistakenly seen as a language exclusive to Muslims, is fundamentally secular and was historically spoken by educated individuals across various communities until 1947. Katju criticizes political statements that associate Urdu with religious identity, emphasizing that in its essence, Urdu shares a commonality with Hindi, particularly in its use of Hindustani verbs. He highlights the British colonial policy as a root cause of the linguistic divide, advocating for a broader recognition of Urdu’s secular and inclusive nature in modern India.