Gaya: Former IPS officer and Urdu litterateur Masoom Aziz Kazmi on Thursday highlighted the role of the Urdu language, particularly the Urdu press, in India’s freedom struggle that began in 1857.Kazmi, a former IG, was delivering a special lecture on the contribution of Urdu to the freedom movement at an event organised by the postgraduate department of Urdu on the Magadh University campus.In his address, Kazmi described 1857 as a defining moment of national unity, saying Hindus and Muslims fought shoulder to shoulder against British rule. He said India could have achieved independence in 1857 itself had several princely states not sided with the British.Kazmi also referred to slogans such as Inqalab Zindabad, saying they had an electrifying impact on freedom fighters and continue to inspire followers of positive political change.
