STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Dogri Sanstha Jammu on Saturday condemned the blatant discrimination meted out to the language of Jammu in the newly constituted central committees of Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages.
Addressing a press conference here today, prominent writer and President of Dogri Sanstha, Chhatrapal said that what could be more shocking and inimical than the blatant discrimination and injustice meted out to Dogri, which is second largest spoken language of the State and mother tongue of Jammu people, having constitutional recognition by the State and Centre, but finds no place in the newly constituted Central Committee of JKAACL.
“The decision of Kashmir centric bureaucracy to have no member from Dogri language in the apex body of JKAACL is another obtrusive example of the quantum of injustice and high-handedness unleashed by the top brass of the State administration against Dogri language and Dogri literature,” he said.
Therefore, he added, this committee cannot do justice to the aspirations of Dogri speaking people of Jammu region.
Describing it unfortunate and detrimental to the development of the language of Dogras, Dr Lalit Magotra, said that Ideally, the central committee should be reconstituted to give representation to all regions, communities and all aspects of language, art and culture, which the newly constituted committee failed to do.
He said, It appears that the government has unwittingly fallen prey to certain forces which conspire to create a wedge between the people of Jammu region and Kashmir Valley and between the people speaking Dogri and Kashmiri languages. Terming this as an extremely explosive situation Dr Magotra said , if corrective measures are not taken immediately, the situation may escalate completely out of control. “We the Dogri writers wish to state in unequivocal terms that we will fight to the end to stop this injustice perpetrated against Dogri language and Dogras,” he declared.
Those present on this occasion included Gianeshwar, Vice President, Dr Nirmal Vinod, General Secretary, Senior Member of Sanstha Prof Baldev Singh, Shiv Mehta and Madan Padha, members Working Committee.
