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Urdu Habba on Vidhana Soudha steps sparks row: UT Khader, Rizwan Arshad clarify!
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News18•01-10-2026, 15:40
Urdu Habba on Vidhana Soudha steps sparks row: UT Khader, Rizwan Arshad clarify!
- •The state government plans to organize an Urdu Habba on the steps of Vidhana Soudha on November 9.
- •Kannada organizations, including BJP, have expressed opposition to the Urdu Habba celebration.
- •Minister UT Khader clarified that the event, usually held in a hall, is being given an opportunity near the Vidhana Soudha steps this time.
- •Minister Rizwan Arshad stated, "My mother tongue is Urdu, but my heart language is Kannada. Am I not a Kannadiga?"
- •Arshad added that the controversy is created for political reasons by those who want to divide society, and true pro-Kannada activists will not oppose it.
Key Questions Answered
The state government is planning to organize the Urdu Habba on the steps of Vidhana Soudha on November 9, whereas it was traditionally held inside a hall in previous years.
Minister UT Khader dismissed the criticism by stating that those who oppose it do not know about the language, adding that their aim is to build a trusting society for harmony, unity, and love.
Food Minister Rizwan Arshad stated that although his mother tongue is Urdu, his heart language is Kannada, and true pro-Kannada activists will not oppose the event. He noted that the controversy is politically motivated and that the thousand-year-old history of the Kannada language is not weak enough to be harmed by such an event.
