Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Mar 30: To frame a good education policy, the State Government is constituting a Committee of well known educationists which besides other issues will also suggest methods for boosting the regional and sub regional languages including Dogri and Kashmiri.
This was stated by Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand who holds the portfolio of Education Ministry while replying to a private member’s resolution moved by Prof Chaman Lal Gupta of break away group of BJP demanding that regional languages particularly Dogri be made a compulsory subject from primary to higher secondary level in order to promote these languages.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that Government has taken several steps to promote regional languages in the State. The J&K Academy of Art Cultural and Languages has been established to promote local languages, art and culture of all three regions of the State.
He said that subjects of local languages are available for options and books and syllabi have been devised for the purpose. Tara Chand assured the House that Government will take into confidence the members while effecting change in the proposed education policy, which will also take care of these things.
He, however, made it clear that by making all languages compulsory means to overburden the student but assured that the regional languages will be promoted.
Speaking on the resolution, members from all political parties supported it and stressed that steps be taken to promote the regional and sub regional languages in the State. They also demanded that the resolution be passed.
But with the reply of the Deputy Chief Minister, Prof Gupta withdrew his resolution.
Earlier Prof Gupta, while explaining the reasons for moving the resolution said though Dogri was included in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution, the Government has not taken steps for its promotion. He stressed on popularization of the local languages including Dogri, Kashmiri, Gojri, etc like the local languages of other States of the country to keep younger generation connected with mother tongue and culture.
Expressing his concern over non seriousness of the Government towards the regional languages, he said mistakes have been committed while translating Finance Minister’s budget speech in Urdu and pointed out towards a particular Urdu word used in the budget speech which was not appropriate.
Prof Gupta said that he will withdraw the resolution provided the Government framed a Committee and announce a policy for promotion of the regional languages. He demanded that Dogri be taught in schools up to higher secondary level.
Supporting the resolution, Ashwani Sharma of JSM said though Hindi is a link language its promotion is good but at the same time the regional languages should not be ignored. This way the children are going astray from their culture and roots as the regional languages are a link to the culture.
He demanded that along national languages Dogri be also introduced in schools.
Balwant Singh Mankotia also supported the resolution saying the language is an identity of a man. “If you want that the culture should vanish you have to finish its language first’’ he added.
He said J&K was a Dogra State and Jammu a Dogra region but across the Lakhanpur no one can identify a Dogra as a Dogra because in last 65 years no steps were taken for promotion of this language and culture. The Dogri professors are at University level but no teachers are available at college and school level. Any one who talks in Dogri is considered as backward, he added.
Mankotia alleged that a conspiracy is going on to finish this language and he sought support of the House in declaring Dogri as official language of the state and be introduced in schools.
Supporting the resolution Dr Mustafa Kamaal of NC said that if one wants to be linked to his culture he has to learn his mother tongue first.
He said in J&K after English Urdu is the State language and stressed that regional and sub-regional languages be promoted.
G M Saroori of Congress, while supporting the resolution said that lot of importance is given to English though Englishmen were thrown out in 1947. He regretted that many sub regional languages of Jammu including the regional language Dogri has been ignored.
He said though Urdu is the official language of the State but unfortunately the newly issued ration cards by CAPD Department are in English and demanded that a Committee be framed to discuss the role of various local languages of the State.
Javed Dar of NC while supporting the resolution said that local culture of State is vanishing day by day. He warned that if the regional and sub- regional languages are not introduced in schools they will finish one day. If any one talks in Kashmiri he is looked down upon. Promotion of languages is must to save the ancient culture of the State as language is our unique identity, he added.
Supporting the resolution Agha Ruhulla Mehdi of NC said parent are not taking interest in teaching regional languages to their children despite the fact that languages is an identification of every society and culture. He said unfortunately our system has become a slave to foreign set up and stressed that the children should be encouraged to learn the mother tongue. He urged the Government to take steps in introducing regional languages from primary to University level.
Ashok Kumar, Qamar Ali Akhoon and Bimla Lutra also supported the resolution.
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