A case of Urdu & Political Sensibilities: PPP says ‘kaampein taang rahi’ video is edited

Niche

Niche

Administrator

Pakistan People’s Party has recently claimed that the viral video of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, which has quickly become famous as the ‘kaampein taang rahi’ video is edited.

The video basically shows BBZ speaking at a rally in Islamabad on Tuesday to mark the end of a 10-day Awami March. “I am shaking Islamabad. Islamabad may kaampein taang rahi hai [Shivers are legs in Islamabad],” he said.

 

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 Bilawal must have meant to say ‘taangein kaanp rahi hain’, however his slip of tongue quickly led to the video of the rally going viral, causing a meme fest. Many PTI members including the PM also made statements mocking the young PPP leader for what may or may not have been a slip of tongue, as BBZ claims the video is morphed.

However, the point in question here is that is speaking correct Urdu really an apt measure for somebody’s political sensibilities? If so, then can must we also trash all of Benazir Bhutto’s political contributions over the mere fact that her grammatical usage of the Urdu language was not the best. Moreover, even Bilawal’s grandfather Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, despite coming from a Sindhi-speaking family did not speak the best Urdu as his mother, Khursheed Begum, was not Sindhi speaking.

It is interesting to note here that in our everyday lives, the average modern elite Pakistani is focused on encouraging children to be as White-washed as possible, preferring as much English as possible in our homes, and yet there is this pressure on them on speaking street-smart Urdu when it comes to practical matters. Some food for thought!🍇