 Early Times Report
JAMMU, Oct 7: The indefinite Punjabi Language Dharna/Morcha in Jammu entered its seventh consecutive day on Wednesday, with the movement receiving growing political, religious, social and grassroots support for the demand to grant Punjabi the status of an official language of Jammu & Kashmir.
A major political boost to the ongoing Morcha came with a BJP delegation led by Narinder Singh Satta, MLA Jammu South, visiting the Dharna site and extending support to the demand. The delegation included MLA Vikram Randhawa, MLA Surinder Bagat, former MLC Ranjit Singh Khalsa, Balwinder Singh, Chairman, J&K BJP Refugee Cell, Ranjodh Singh Nalwa of the J&K BJP Minority Cell, Corporator Nanak Nagar Pappu Chaudhary and Corporator Jasmeet Kour, besides other BJP leaders and representatives.
The BJP leaders called upon the Omar Abdullah-led government to convene a one-day special session of the J&K Legislative Assembly to bring a Bill seeking official-language status for Punjabi.
The BJP delegation further assured the organisers that all 29 BJP MLAs in the J&K Legislative Assembly would unanimously support the Punjabi Language Bill if it is brought before the House.
The seventh day also witnessed increased grassroots participation, with Sikh Nowjawan Sabha, Simbal Camp, and Sikh Nowjawan Sabha, Miran Sahib, reaching the Dharna site in rallies and extending their support to the ongoing movement.
The Morcha also received formal written support from the Congress Party. In a written communication dated October 7, Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Leader, Congress Legislature Party, Jammu & Kashmir, conveyed the party's support for incorporating Punjabi as one of the official languages of Jammu & Kashmir and assured that Congress would support the demand whenever the matter comes up for legislative approval.
The Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram), J&K, also extended full support to the demand through a written communication.
The letter was issued under the leadership of Adv. Chander Shekhar Azad, National President; Adv. Rajat Ramit, State President; and Adv. Danish Kundal, backing the demand for inclusion of Punjabi among the official languages of Jammu & Kashmir.
The movement also received written endorsements from several Sikh religious and social organisations.
Sikh Universal Selfless Service Trust (Regd.) formally conveyed its support for according official-language status to Punjabi in Jammu & Kashmir.
Written support was also received from Gurdwara Singh Sabha, Basti Karan Bagh, Jammu; Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha, Basti Gobindpura, Simbal Morh, Jammu; and JK Blood Donors & Welfare Society (Regd.), Kathua.
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