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| Dogri not inferior to Kashmiri, make announcements in Dogri at Jammu airport | | |
RUSTAM
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Apr 2: The Dogras are the most discriminated against lot in the entire country. They are willfully ignored at all levels and in all spheres - in political sphere; in the legislature; and in the service, tourism, agriculture, horticulture, floriculture, power, irrigation, revenue and educational sectors. They are far behind the people of Kashmir in terms of road connectivity and infra-structural development. In fact, they are at the receiving end, notwithstanding the fact that it was they who created Jammu and Kashmir State in 1846 and that it is they who have been contributing more than 70 per cent revenue annually to the state exchequer.
It is not only the state government that has been according a step-motherly treatment to the Dogras of Jammu province, Hindus and Muslims included. The Union Government too has been maltreating, humiliating and discriminating against the Dogras.
Just two instances in this regard would be enough to make the point that the Union Government, like the state government, is generous towards Kashmir and highly biased against the Dogras whose role in the process of the state's integration into India has been spectacular.
One is the share of Dogri language, which was included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution on December 22, 2003, in the Kashmir-based Kashir channel produced and sponsored programmes is just two per cent. As a matter of fact, the Kashmir channel has become the sole preserve of the Kashmiri vested interests, who have not only been minting easy money but also not doing anything to counter the Pakistani propaganda against India.
The plight of Dogri language in the Jammu-based low frequency and ill-equipped Door Darshan is also very pathetic. Dogri has no or little place in the scheme of things of those who have been controlling and running the Jammu Door Darshan. That's the reason the literary and cultural associations of the Dogras Jammu have been protesting against the management and demanding due share for Dogri language, which is inferior to none, in the Kashmir Channel and Jammu Door Darshan-sponsored programmes.
The other is the latest decision of Chairman Airport Authority of India V P Aggarwal to allow Srinagar airport Director O S Tyagi to make announcements in Kashmiri language at the international airport. The decision has been implemented in letter and spirit. On March 31, the Airport Authority of India introduced the "Kashmiri language for announcements regarding flight schedule, meeting the long-pending demand of Adbee Markaz Kamraz, a literary and cultural group of Kashmir".
This is the worst form of humiliation caused to the Dogras by the Union Government. By according a special and preferential treatment to Kashmir, the Union Government has proved that its attitude to the Dogri language, like the attitude of the state government, is very hostile.
You cannot treat Dogri language so shabbily. It has, like the Kashmiri language, its place in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution and, hence, it should be treated at par with the Kashmiri language. If the Airport Authority of India could introduce the Kashmiri language for making announcements at the Kashmir airport regarding flight schedules and the related issues, why can't it do the same in Jammu? It must order the Jammu airport Director to ensure that announcements at the airport are made in Dogri language, along with English and Hindi.
The Dogri Sanstha and similar other literary and cultural organizations of the Dogras must imitate the Adbee Markaz Kamraz and see to it that Dogri language gets its due at all levels.
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