 Early Times Report
JAMMU, Oct 4: The campaign demanding official language status for Punjabi in Jammu & Kashmir intensified on Day 4 of the indefinite Dharna/Morcha, as protest rallies were taken out in Sainik Colony, Jammu, Vijaypur, Kathua and other areas, while support continued to pour in from Sikh religious, educational and community organisations.
A protest rally was taken out in Sainik Colony, Jammu, in the morning, where members of the Sikh community raised their voice for constitutional recognition of Punjabi. Similar rallies were also organised in Vijaypur, Kathua and other areas of Jammu, giving the ongoing campaign a wider grassroots character.
The organisers said the growing participation from different localities reflects the increasing determination of the Sikh Sangat to seek recognition, preservation and promotion of Punjabi language, literature and culture in Jammu & Kashmir.
Taranjit Singh Tony, Chairman, Gurdwara Rani Talab, Digiana, once again appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the Council of Ministers and all 90 MLAs to support the demand and facilitate a resolution granting official language status to Punjabi during the forthcoming Winter Session of the J&K Legislative Assembly.
Tony urged all elected representatives to provide written letters supporting the demand, stressing that the issue concerns the linguistic, literary, historical and cultural heritage of Jammu & Kashmir.
He reiterated that the Sikh Sangat is pursuing the matter through peaceful, constitutional and democratic means.
The Day 4 campaign received significant institutional support from Sikh Missionary College (Regd.), Jammu, which extended its solidarity to the demand for official status to Punjabi.
The support was led by Sardar Kulwant Singh, Jammu Head, Sikh Missionary College, along with Pawandeep Singh. The representatives backed the ongoing peaceful movement and stressed the need to protect and promote Punjabi and its rich cultural heritage. The movement also received support from Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Singh Pura (Maralia), Mira Sahib, Jammu, as well as Sarpanch Avtar Singh Shunty, Panchayat Chathia Farm.
The organisers said such endorsements from religious institutions, grassroots representatives and community organisations demonstrate that the demand is gathering strength at multiple levels.
The campaign continues to bring together people from different backgrounds, including political representatives, religious leaders, scholars, activists, social workers, youth representatives, traders and members of various Gurudwaras.
Those associated with and supporting the ongoing campaign include Taranjit Singh Tony, Ashish Anand Bhat representing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Narinder Singh Khalsa, J&K President, Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), former Minister Manjit Singh, President J&K Jat Sabha, former Corporator Dwarka Choudhary, Sardar Surjit Singh, Secretary, DGPC, Sardar Balwinder Singh, Punjabi scholar, Sardar Dalip Singh Ji of Sainik Colony, Advocate Deeplka Poshkar Nath, Gaurav Kapoor of the Auto-Rickshaw Union, Gurjeet Singh of Dhaba Mishriwala, Pavneet Kour, RTI activist Balwinder Singh, Sarpanch Avtar Singh Shunty, Youth leader Narinder Sharma, Balwinder Singh Rinku and Tahir Ali, among others. |
