Madhya Pradesh Pulls The Trigger On Dropping Urdu Words From Police Work

Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said the police should incorporate "simple Hindi words" when filing complaints, investigation and research reports, and other formalities.

When a senior police officer in Madhya Pradesh used the Urdu word 'Dastayab' - referring to the recovery of a missing item - during a meeting attended by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, he did not know the chain of events he would set off.

Not only was the Superintendent of Police advised to use simpler words and avoid those from the Mughal era, but the state's Home Minister also ordered that Persian and Urdu words and phrases will be deleted from the official lexicon of the Madhya Pradesh Police.

Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said the police should incorporate "simple Hindi words" when filing complaints, investigation and research reports, and other formalities.

In effect, around 350 words like 'adam pata' (untraceable), 'tarmeem' (amendment), 'ishtgassa' (petition), 'muddayi' (complainant), 'istgasa' (complaint letter), and the fateful 'dastyab' will now disappear from use.