Team Jammu, Dogri Sanstha allege contradictions between assertions, actions of Govt
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Exposing the lies of State Government with regard to issue of Kashmiri language in Jammu colleges, Team Jammu and Dogri Sanstha Jammu on Wednesday accused the Kashmir centric administration of trying to mislead people of Jammu.
Addressing a joint press conference here, Prof Lalit Magotra of Dogri Sanstha and Zorawar Singh Jamwal of Team Jammu along with President Dogri Sanstha, Chatterpal and Randheer Singh Raipuria produced documentary evidence which establish contradictions between assertions and actions of the State Government with regard to imposition of Kashmir language in Jammu colleges.
“When government vide an order on July 4, 2017 No. 399 HE of 2017 converted and approved 49 posts of Kashmiri teachers for teaching Kashmiri in Jammu region, this ill conceived and anti-Dogri order met with a stiff resistance and vehement protests from Dogri Sanstha, Team Jammu and other literary, cultural, social and political organisations of Jammu. In one voice, all demanded rescinding this draconian order, which was an attempt to invade Dogra culture and Dogra identity,” the speakers recalled and added “Buckling under the massive pressure from people of Jammu, the State Govt. on August 3, 2017 issued an order No. 453 HE of 2017 where under 49 posts of Assistant Professors for Dogri and 25 posts for Punjabi were ‘reserved.” Prof Lalit Mangotra and Zorawar Singh Jamwal further informed that according to a report appearing in a leading newspaper of the State, the Minister of Higher Education, responding to question as to why there is difference in language in the orders for Kashmiri and Dogri-Punjabi, stated categorically that whatever be the language of the orders, no post will be assigned to a college unless there is a demand from the college and unless there is sufficient enrollment. However, this statement of the minister is at complete variance with the ground reality and appears to be an attempt to mislead people of Jammu because on August 1, 2017 an order No. 448-HE of 2017 was issued by the Department of Higher Education directing to appoint Assistant Professor in Kashmiri in Government College, Surankote. The point to note is that the college did not make any demand for this post. This clearly is a case of surreptitiously introducing Kashmiri in a college of Jammu region. It may be noted that it was done at a time, when intense protests were being held in Jammu against imposition of Kashmiri in Jammu region. This is an ample proof that the government was trying to deliberately mislead the people of Jammu.
Lambasting State Government, Prof Lalit Mangotra and Zorawar Singh Jamwal further pointed out that, “The Govt. owes an explanation, as to what was the logic and motive behind issue of such discriminatory directives to the universities of Jammu region? Why no such circular was issued for promotion of Dogri, Punjabi, Pahari, Gojari and Buddhist etc. to any of the universities? What to talk of Valley based colleges, but not even in Jammu educational institutions. This clearly exposes the sinister design of the present Govt. to impose Kashmiri in Jammu region by hook or by crook”.
We want to make it clear to the government that the people of Jammu will not be hoodwinked any more and we are ready to make all sacrifices to protect our culture, language and identity. Let it be known to all concerned that to us Dogra culture, language and identity is most sacrosanct and we will fight tooth and nails to protect the same.