BJP Ministers maintain criminal silence on developments
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Aug 2: Despite stiff opposition by all the political and social organizations here, the PDP-BJP Coalition Government has gone ahead with its agenda of imposing Kashmiri language in Jammu division as the Department of Higher Education has issued a formal order for introduction of Kashmiri language as subject in a Jammu University affiliated Government Degree College.
While entire Jammu is up in arms against the State Government’s move, ruling coalition partner BJP and its Ministers continue to maintain a criminal silence over the developments vis-à-vis imposition of Kashmiri in Jammu colleges and step motherly treatment with Dogri in the land of Dogras.
It is official now that Government Degree College Surankote is going to be the first college in Jammu division where Kashmiri language is being introduced as a subject and according to the official sources, more Government colleges in twin districts of Poonch-Rajouri, Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban will also be asked for the same very soon.
As per the Government order number 448-HE of 2017, dated 01-08-2017, sanction has been accorded to the introduction of Kashmiri subject in Government Degree College, Surankote from Academic session 2017-18. “Principal GDC Surankote shall take up the matter with concerned university for affiliation and is also authorized to engage academic arrangement candidates till regular faculty is arranged,” the order further says.
Pertinent to mention that the Excelsior had exclusively reported in its July 14 edition that the State Government has secretly planned to introduce Kashmiri language as a Subject in the colleges across Jammu division in a phased manner for which the Department of Higher Education has ordered conversion of 49 existing vacancies of Assistant Professors for Kashmiri Language and Literature.
Even as following the Excelsior report, there was much hue and cry in Jammu where all political and social organizations, except BJP, are up in arms against the Government move, the Department of Higher Education went ahead with its agenda of imposing Kashmiri on the Jammu division.
The step motherly agenda of the PDP-BJP Coalition Government has been put in plain words by the Commissioner / Secretary Higher Education Department, Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon, in his DO letter, forwarded to the Vice-Chancellors of Jammu University, Cluster University Jammu, Central University Jammu, SKUAST Jammu, BGSBU Rajouri, SMVDU and the universities of Kashmir, vide No HE/Langt/J&K/ 2017/1163-77, dated 27-07-2017.
In his DO Number HE /Lang/J&K/2017/1429, the top most officer of the Higher Education Department has conveyed to all the Vice-Chancellors necessity of promoting and safeguarding Kashmiri language, which, according to him, did not meet favourable support in the past. ” May, I request you to promote Kashmiri language at institutional level by establishing PG Departments and translation-cum-research Centres in your university and recruit permanent faculty on priority basis as non-availability of regular teaching faculty is the major constraint and leads to de-motivation of students who intend to go for higher studies in Kashmiri language even graduate level in various primary/secondary schools and Government degree colleges,” the communication says adding that this may not only promote Kashmir literature but strengthen use of Kashmiri language and also provide job opportunities to scholars of this language.
Like Kashmiri in Valley, Dogri is the mother tongue of people in Jammu division and has been listed in 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution, but there was neither such communication for promotion of Dogri language nor the posts were created as was done in the case of Kashmir language as per order number 399 HE of 2017, dated 04-07-2017, according to which 49 vacant posts of Assistant Professors have been converted for Kashmiri Language/ Literature.
Surprisingly, when all political and social organizations in Jammu division are up in arms against the Government move of imposing Kashmir language here, the ruling coalition partners BJP is maintaining a silence over the issue even as the party represents 25 out of 37 total Assembly seats in this region.
When contacted, a number of BJP Ministers in the Coalition Government, were unaware of the Government order on introduction of Kashmiri subject in one of the Jammu University affiliated college while State BJP president Sat Sharma claimed that if such an order has been issued by the Higher Education Department, the party would take up the issue with concerned authorities.
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