Share your story and shine at JK Monitor!🌟 Welcome to JK Monitor, where every story matters and every achievement is celebrated! We invite you to share the remarkable journey of your life and showcase your accomplishments to the world. Join our exclusive interviews that honor exceptional individuals just like you. JAMMU: In a joint statement Aam Aadmi Party senior leader Gurmeet Singh Baaghi, Amit Kapoor , Yasir Mattoo, Er. Harpreet Singh, Aslam Kohli and Zaffar urged the Union government to reinstate Punjabi as an official language in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The Punjabi language is world recognized and spoken by numerous communities. If other languages were added as official languages in J&K, why is Punjabi being eliminated from the official language status in the UT of J&K?
They stated that the Jammu and Kashmir was a part of Punjab during the era of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, with Punjabi as one of the vernacular languages of the region. Punjabi was a widely spoken language there and is now the mother tongue of all the Punjabis in the Jammu region, besides being spoken by the Punjabi community living in Kashmir Valley. Many other countries have also given recognition to the Punjabi language in their respective countries like Canada. Punjabi is widely spoken from across the world including big countries like Australia and Canada, even officials at several Airports in Canada communicate in Punjabi only.
Punjabi language was a compulsory subject like Urdu in J&K till 1981. Regrettably, Punjabi was excluding in the list of languages under the Jammu and Kashmir Languages Bill, 2020 which was passed by both the Houses of Parliament with voice vote in September 2020, Kashmiri, Dogri and Hindi were included in the list of official languages in the Union Territory of J&K, in addition to the existing Urdu & English.
The Union Government decision on deliberately ignoring of Punjabi language and this act of the government had created strong resentment among the Minority Community in J&K. The omittance of Punjabi from the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill 2020 is an anti-minority move. One side Centre Govt are talking about equality (सबका साथ सबका विकास) and other side a significant regional language of J&K has been overlooked. When Government is giving rights to all communities then why Sikh community was ignored. The Sikh community possesses a profound history of sacrifices for the country and has consistently strived for the well-being of all society.
G. S. Baaghi remarked, "It's regrettable that the Centre has not addressed the legitimate needs of Punjabi spoken people and minority even with support of various societal segments. The delay in taking any decision on declaring Punjabi language as the official language of J&K has annoyed the Sikh community and the vast majority of people in the who speak Punjabi language. The government ignored Punjabi language, despite the fact that it has remained an important and well spoken language in the erstwhile state. Punjabi is one of the most spoken language in J&K and people from all community, religion, section & creed advocating that Punjabi language must be include in J&K official languages. Every language holds its unique historical importance and thus deserve all the recognition.
Despite demands from the different sections of the society and Minority community but nothing is done in this context so far. Does the government consider minorities or Sikhs as second class citizens? If not then why the basic demand of the sikhs are not fulfilled. Punjabi language represents the identity of Sikhs; it should be reinstate as the official language of the UT of J&K at the earliest.
