Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 23 : Progressive Students Association (PSA) today issued an appeal to all Pahari speaking refugees settled in Jammu, Kathua, Samba and Udhampur districts to join the movement for establishment of Pahari Research Centre in Jammu University.
According to press release, President of PSA Dhiraj said, "There are lakhs of Pahari speaking (Poonchi, Muzaffarabadi, Mirpuri etc.) refugees who have settled in Jammu at the time of partition in 1947. In addition of economic and political hardship, these sections have suffered tremendous cultural dislocation. They have been languishing while the government has repeatedly turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to their plight. No effort has ever been made to provide government support for the furtherance of our culture and language (Poonchi, Muzaffarabadi, Mirpuri etc.). For the first time PSA and GBSWA have made a move towards cultural assertion of Gojri and Pahari speaking sections. However, self proclaimed champions of Jammu cause including political parties (JKDF, BJYM, BJP) and student organisations (NSF, ABVP, some leaders of NSUI) have show their real face by refusing to uphold this genuine demand and launched a counter-propaganda against PSA and GBSWA in an effort to scuttle this movement." Gojri is the language of millions of people. However because they belong to a backward section the dominant section in the University cannot tolerate their advancement. PSA appeals to Gojri speaking sections to come out in support of this demand, he said. Dhiraj further said, "Language is the cornerstone of any culture - we speak, think and dream best in our own mother tongues. People of different religions speak the same languages. PSA believes that every language has the right to government support. Around 30 lakh people speak pahari, and 10 lakh people speak gojri in our state. If English, the language of British Colonialism, can be taught and encouraged in the University why not Gojri and Pahari?". Dhiraj further said, "Pahari languages are gradually fading away, the next generation does not feel an attachment to their mother tongue. How can we expect our culture to survive? In the absence of any research work and documentation how can a language develop?"
He further said that PSA strive towards uniting students around common demands e.g opposing fee hikes and struggling for expansion of educational opportunities. "We strongly condemn superficial identity politics used by electoral parties to divided students on the basis of caste, religion and region. PSA believes in a fruitful engagement with identity. For example, instead of shouting slogans against students of other religions and communities, All students should unite and fight for the right to have education (of all levels) available to them in their own respective mother tongues.
PSA reiterates its commitment to fighting for this genuine cause. We appeal to all Pahari and Gojri speaking organisations, political leaders and parties and concerned individuals to come forward in support of this demand on a common platform and raise their voice where ever possible. This is an opportune moment for a concrete cultural assertion on our part. |
