The Dogra Sadar Sabha DSS and the All Jammu Civil Society Forum (AJCSF) held a joint emergent meeting of core groups to discuss the crisis situation created by the J&K Government‘s order to impose Kashmiri language in the colleges of Jammu region. The meeting was held under the President DSS and former minister Th. Gulchain Singh Charak.
Calling it a divisive creation of some mischievous minds working behind the scene, the members denounced it outrightly, calling it unacceptable. “To destroy and eliminate any race, one has to obliterate its heritage, kill its culture and vanish its linguistic identity; which bind a race” said Th. Gulchain Singh Charak, adding that all this has been tried on the Dogras of Jammu region. Elaborating, he presented examples of the Dogra Heritage complex reduced to ruins, The Dogra festival mutilated and observed sans Dogra art and culture while this is the final ‘deathly blow’ by imposing Kashmiri language.
Ex-MLC Maj Gen Goverdhan Singh Jamwal called it a conspiracy to create a rift between the Kashmiri migrants and local Dogras which will widen the gaps and may create unrest. He denounced the creation of 49 jobs of Kashmiri lecturers which can go to Kashmiris only. He called for synergizing all intellectual, social, ethical, religious bodies, traders groups and institutions to fight tooth and nail against this unjust, arbitrary and devastating order aimed against Dogras and Dogriyat.
Col Dr Virendra K Sahi, VrC IC Media, pointed out that there are only 20 percent Kashmiri speaking population in the J&K State, while others speak Dogri, Pahari or Gojri dialects of it on either side of the LoC. There is a case to teach Dogri in Kashmir as a choice with the official language Urdu. He called the ‘Draconian Order’ as an onslaught on the very existence of Dogras as an act of vendetta against the founders and erstwhile rulers of the J&K. “It must be opposed by all might, by one and all including students and educational institutes who are most affected directly” said the veteran warrior.
Addl Gen Secretary Shri G A Khawaja Ex Dy. Commissioner and Prof Anita Billowria of Jammu University informed that the great resentment is simmering among the students of colleges and university of Jammu against such a dangerous step taken by the Government, which can be proved disastrous for the whole State already reeling under many threats.
The General Secretary Shri Anil Suri pointed out to the various jobs of the youth of this region being captured by the people belonging to the other regions due to which a great resentment and frustration is brewing among the youth of this region.
Vice President Col Karan Singh drew the attention to the newly constructed Convention Hall that is without proper Staff and facilities and raised the issue of blatant bias and discrimination by the SSB in various selections made in recent past. Shri Neeraj Gupta, President Chamber of Traders Federation said that ‘discrimination’ against Jammu is nothing new but things were never so very bad during previous governments.
Concluding the meeting Th. Gulchain Singh invited all likeminded organizations, parties, institutes and groups to come together for launching a joint, strong peaceful democratic agitation. A sub committee was formed to contact various groups, comprising Vice President Col Karan Singh, Gen Secretaries Shri Anil Suri and Shri G A Khawaja, Shri Neeraj Anand and He said that a date for a joint meeting of all such groups will be decided soon followed by a press conference after informing each group. The meeting will decide future course of action to launch a long decisive agitation.
Those who deliberated in the meeting included, Brig. M. S. Jamwal (Retd.), Sh. Syed Amanat Ali Shah, Sh. S. Peter, Sh. Rajesh Gupta, Sr. Kulbir Singh, Sh.Yash Paul Gupta, Sh. Neeraj Anand, Sh. Amrik Singh, Sh. Rakesh Thakur, Sh. Hari Om Singh, Prof. Anita Charak Billoria, Sh. Ravi Singh Slathia & Sh. Michael Wazir.,
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