Television is a major instrument of public awareness and public entertainment. It is also rightly used for preservation of culture and traditions of a society. It has to deal with public interest and become a guide and a mentor in issues that pertain to the future of society. In short television cannot be detached from its unbreakable links with what is held by the society as its heritage and futuristic vision.
In our vast country, each State has the branch of Door Darshan. The need for setting up DD branches in each State is that India is a heterogeneous country with a myriad of diversities. It would not be possible for one centralized unit of DD to cater to the needs of so many peoples, states, cultures and languages. Not only that, even each State DD Kendra has to open various channels to cater to the needs of people in different geographical locations, different cultural or linguistic streams or different ethnic origins. These may be called compulsions but there is no escape. Fairness and justice demand that all sections of people must be taken on board. That is the best method of catering to these diversities.
DD Kashmir has opened the Kashir Channel. We understand the reason for opening this channel and we are happy that the people speaking Kashmiri and residing in the valley are inheritors of rich history and culture. Focusing on that part of Kashmiri society is highly appreciable. For the youth of Kashmir, men and women, it is a source through which they get acquainted with their history past and present.
However, we have not found reason why the DD of Jammu Kendra did not think of opening a Duggar Channel for Jammu region. Jammu region has its peculiarities no less than what is obtained in Kashmir region. Dogri is the language spoken in a very large segment of population in Jammu region. It has considerable; literature and laudable culture behind it. It has history and tradition that are most conspicuous in the overall history of the State. The credit of raising the geographical and political State of Jammu and Kashmir goes to the Dogras of Jammu. The great conquests in the northern Himalayan region — to the fringes of Tibet in north-east and to the foothills of the Pamirs to the north-west— made by intrepid Dogra warriors has been written in letters of gold. To a large extent the administrative and revenue structure which is in place today is also reminiscent of the vision and far-sightedness of the Dogra administration which lasted about one century. This is no small a cultural fund that any nation would be proud of.
Duggar region has also robustly contributed to the process of nation building after India won independence. In all walks of life, politics, economy, industry, culture, sports, arts, music, drama, education etc. Jammu has made considerable contribution and enriched the fund of Indian civilization. Jammu has produced eminent writers, poets, thinkers, journalists and soldiers who are the pride of the nation.
Therefore, keeping this in mind, there is full justification for the people of Jammu to demand opening full-fledged ‘Satellite Duggar Channel’ of DD Kendra Jammu. The demand has been stoutly endorsed by the general masses as well as different social, cultural and literary organizations in the region. This channel is presumed to give a boost not only to Dogri language which is mostly spoken in the region, but also to sister languages like Gojri, Mirpuri, Punjabi, Pahari, Poonchi, Bhadarwahi, etc. spoken in their respective regions in Jammu province. A point to remember is that proposed channel shall cover nearly 32,200 sq. kms in Jammu as well as some parts of PoK for TV broadcast as compared to about 22,200 sq. kms being catered from Srinagar. Thus area-wise, population-wise and diversity-wise, demand for a Satellite Duggar Channel seems more than justified.
It has also to be remembered that a large number of people across the LoC also speak Dogri, Poonchi, Pahari and Gojri. It will be in national interests if the proposed Duggar Chanel also caters to their needs. In fact there should be special programmes for the people on the other side of the cease fire line. Therefore we are hopeful that the demand for Satellite Duggar Channel in Jammu DD Kendra will be accepted by the authorities in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and orders to its inception will be issued. This decision will go a long way in promoting the creative and innovative faculty among the budding youth in Jammu region.
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