Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 13: Alleging that step motherly treatment was being meted out to Dogri and Dogras, former Minister and PCC senior vice-president Sham Lal Sharma today said that Jammu became slave of Kashmiris after independence from the rule of Maharaja.
He described the latest Government order where it ‘reserved’ some posts for Dogri and Punjabi languages as mere eyewash and sought to know what Government wants to convey by reserving some seats and not rescinding its order of imposing Kashmiri language in Jammu colleges.
Sham Lal was addressing in function by Dogri Bhasha Academy in collaboration with Tiny Aspirants School, organized to felicitate Sahitya Akademi award winning writer Rajinder Ranjha at Jourian, Akhnoor today.
“We are not against promoting of any language in the State but imposing Kashmiri language in the areas where different languages like Dogri, Pahari, Gojri etc are mother tongue of people, seems to be fishy,” Sham Lal Sharma said. He further said that in case Kashmiri language is imposed in Jammu region, then Dogri language should also be promoted in the educational institutions of Kashmir region.
Coming down heavily on BJP Ministers, Sharma pointed out that people of Jammu will not forgive the incumbent ministers from this region ‘for their complete surrender to the Kashmir for the sake of power.’ He exhorted Jammu people especially the student community ‘to rise above religious and political lines to save the honour and dignity of secular Dogras.’
Sham Lal stressed the urgent need to introduce Dogri in the school curriculum and teach it to the student from as young as standard 1st across schools of the State. He further said that a rich language such as Dogri can only become relevant in today’s time if promoted amongst the younger generation and spoken actively in educational institutions across the State. . He exhorted the writers to work hard to promote the Dogri language and culture which is the rich heritage of this region. He also stressed that parents should freely interact with their children in local language to promote it from the homes.
Dr Rakesh Bharti was guest of honour and Dr Rakesh Khajuria and Yashpal Nirmal were special guest in the function, which was presided over by Seema Sharma, Principal Tiny Aspirants School Jourian.
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