 EARLY TIMES REPORT
Jammu, Sept 13: The National SC ST OBC Students and Youth Front J&K (NSYF) a wing of All India Confederation of SC/ST/OBC Organisations J&K held 100 virtual rallies all across the J&K UT and appealed government for inclusion of Gojri and Punjabi in the list of official languages of J&K.
According to press release, a memorandum was submitted to Ram Nath Kovind, President of India beside others.
Memorandums were submitted by various coordinators of NSYF from different places in J&K UT where rallies were organised like RS Pura, Chenani, Inderwal, Ramnagar, Khandwal, Kathua, Samba, Akhnoor, Billawar, Basholi, Bani, Doda, Bhaderwah, Kishtwar, Ramban, Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Baramulla, Kupwara and many other places.
RK Kalsotra, state President Confederation, flagged off the 1st virtual rally from the state headquarters at Resham Ghar Colony. RK Kalsotra demanded inclusion of Gojri and Punjabi in the proposed Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill 2020 to be discussed in the Monsoon session of the parliament.
Kalsotra highlighted that students' movements have shown great potential in the past, be it in the freedom struggle or caste movements.
Scholar Anil Kumar who also led a virtual rally from Sidhra, Jammu, highlighted the significance of language and told that the government has ignored the languages due to the scattered nature of the population. This will start the discrimination among the communities. Gojri and punjabi languages deserve their inclusion as official languages.
Adv Zakir Hussain, Altaf Nizami, Reyaz Badana, Ata Mohd flagged off the rally from Srinagar Headquarters. Altaf Nizami, a prominent scholar, added that Gojri and Punjabi is widely spoken by a lot of people all across the UT. While, Gojri is mostly spoken by tribals, punjabi is spoken by main land people. Due recognition to both the langauges will promote a feeling of brotherhood among people.
Badal Minjan another scholar told that Jammu and Kashmir is multilingual State and exclusion of particular language (Gojri and Punjabi) means exclusion of the community. Language is the only mode of representation of needs of time so exclusion is indirect message to zip up the mind and tongue.
Tilak Kajotra, active member of NSYF led the rally from Billawar said that it is pertinent to focus on inclusivity. Gojri and Punjabi is spoken by large number of people in the UT. Official recognition will not only help in ease of living but also help in inclusion of the tribals who speak Gojri.
Ranjeet Kumar, Dr Nizami, Jatinder Singh, Besharat Chauhan, Badal Minjan, Shabnum Tabassum, Shobha Anmol, Tahmeena Jabeen, Talib Kasana, Kuljeet Singh, Sajid Choudhary, Raj Aryan, Mohd Sharief Gorsi, Ch. Ayoub Sabar, GR Choudhary, Bichater Singh Sandhuria, Parvez Ahmed, Mohd Ishaq, Pawan Singh, Sheeraz Ahmed Khan, Mashkoor Ahmed, Anchal Kumar, Younis Raza, Ajaz Ahmed, Wasim Choudhary, Sajjad Ahmed, Ashiq ali, Surinder Singh, Mukhtar khan, Inam-Ul-Hak Qayoom Ahmed, Zakir Hussain, Ishfaq Ameen, Shabir Mastana, Ibrahim Muntazar, Zahid Zaffer, Yousaf Baswal, Ata Mohd and many others joined from various places across the UT and assured that they will fight for the demand and showed their aggression through the medium.
In the vote of thanks, Dr Sameer Choudhary thanked Sh. RK. Kalsotra for giving support at every step and assured him that they will fight for the cause till the govt include both the languages as official languages. |
