Script controversy

Sir,

A linguist Hocket writes that writing (i.e. script) is not a primary concern of a linguist. Even then, I too had jumped into the controversies over script during 1986. I had opined that if all the south Indian major languages as well as Punjabi etc adoptown script, why not Dogra script for Dogri? However, Dogri scholars rejected my then thesis.

There is now no need to create futile fuss over script & languages like perso Arabic Vs Devanagari for Kashmiri. As facts speak, status of official use of Kashmiri may not be feasible.

*In its separate constitution, J&K has recognised over half a dozen languages viz Dogri, Dardi, Gojari (added later on) Kashmiri, Ladakhi, Pali, Pahari and Punjabi.

*The 1971 census records 147 mother tongues of J&K alone. Today the number might be over 200.

Moreover, mother tongue cannot be confused with constitutional language like Kannada of a monolingual Karnataka State. A Pandora of language issues will come to surface if Kashmiri is used for all the correspondences, sign - boards of J&K as desired by Rejenda Razdan (D.E. Aug 28).

In my heart of heart, I too wish all the aforesaid J&K constitution's languages (including Punjabi in Gurumukhi script, Kashmir in Persio -Arabic, Pahari etc.) become the official media in J&K State. However, it will not be desirable in a multilingual J&K State. Bilingual Punjab before Nov. 1966 had become the bone of contention giving rise to Punjabi Suba. Earlier, majority of Hindus knew that their mother tongue is Punjabi. They were against the script Gurumukhi developed from Hindu acenstors sank letters.

Our former V.C. Prof. M. R. Puri got in a wrong bus as bus routes were named in Gurumukhi. During my visits to Kerala Andhra & Karnataka, I had to arrange an interpreter knowing Tamil (- a language taught by me in J.U.) and respective languages & scripts. In these states like Punjabi everything was in their script & language i.e. Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada.

We should be proud of being in a multilingual multi dialectal, mutlireligious J&K State. We cannot bring it at par with India's other states. unless there is a miracle of carving out pockets (speaking Pahari, Dogri, Punjabi, Dardi, Pali etc.) of J&K on linguistic bases like Chhatisgarh, Uttranchal, Mr Razdan's dream may not see the light.

Yours etc....
Prof. Baldev Raj Gupta
New Garden Colony Mission Road,
Pathankot.

Defeat of PR bill

Sir,

The defeat of Jammu and Kashmir Permanent Resident Bill 2004 in the State Assembly was a matter of great relief. The bill, which was supported by majority of MLA's but did not get two thirds majority was reactionary and discriminatory on the basis of gender. It was also terribly discriminatory to Kashmiri Pandits, who had been forced to flee because of terrorism and had married outside their state during their forced exile from the Valley. It was tantamount to punishing them for no fault of theirs. It would have meant loss of state subject which would have meant no right to bequeath property in the state to their spouses and children. All this would have made impossible for Pandits to return. Had it been passed it would have been a trible law and source of tension between J&K and rest of India. Congress party which opposed the bill needs to be congratulated for strongly opposing it in the Assembly.

Yours etc...
Bilhan Koul
S B Colony, Talab Tillo
Jammu