Sikhs miffed over exclusion of Punjabi from language Bill in Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu, September 3

Sikh groups in Jammu and Kashmir are miffed over the exclusion of Punjabi from the J&K Official Languages Bill and have threatened to launch an agitation if the government does not review its “discriminatory move” against the minority community.

Condemning the exclusion of Punjabi language from the J&K Official Language Bill, the Sikh groups held protests against the “total neglect” of Punjabi language in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Till 1981, Punjabi language was a compulsory subject like Urdu in J&K and now, its total neglect is another assault on the identity of the Sikh community in J&K and also against the spirit of Modi government’s slogan, “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas”, TS Wazir, chairman of the J&K Gurdwara Parbandhak Board, said while addressing the protesters.

Wazir said Punjabi language was one of the vital languages of the UT and well recognised in the Constitution of J&K. He demanded immediate inclusion of Punjabi language as the official language of J&K.

“Granting approval to only five languages — English, Urdu, Kashmiri, Dogri and Hindi — as the official language of J&K is a clear indication that Punjabi language has been deliberately left out with an ulterior motive to demolish the spiritual, cultural and emotional quotient of the Sikhs living in J&K,” said Sudershan Singh Wazir, chairman, Sikh United Front, J&K, while addressing a press conference here. The leader alleged that the government was sending contradictory signals. On the one hand, the new education policy announced by the Centre envisaged that the compulsory education to children up to Class V should be in their mother tongue and on the other, the government only granted official status to five languages, which was against the spirit of the new education policy. — TNS