O P Sharma
An exclusive Duggar channel for Jammu region and beyond, stands in urgent need to project and promote its vibrant and distinct cultural heritage, a actively involve the people in the process of faster all round development and also meet the challenges of poisonous anti-India propaganda from across the border. The Dogras have a proud past with distinction of having consolidated and secured nation’s boundaries against any hostile activity. The varied rich cultural heritage need to be preserved, promoted and future safeguarded by further deepening the democratic roots and uplifting the people residing in the hilly and border areas of Jammu and Kashmir by deploying the modern means of vital medium of communication through a satellite Duggar Channel for stirring them up for forward movement in the new environ now emerging in the country. This is a must-do task for both the Central and State Governments .
Genuine Demand
The well-knit PDP-BJP alliance’s strategic move must be to promote distinct literary and cultural values; developmental aspirations of all the three regions of the J&K State with equitable thrust. There is already Kashir Channel and there is urgent need for providing an exclusive satellite Duggar Channel now for vast areas in Jammu region and beyond. This is a litmus test before both the Governments to concede this genuine public demand.
The Duggar’s rich composite cultural heritage and various sub-regional aspirations like multi-languages, developmental needs crave for a Satellite Duggar Channel in this part of the country. It has stoutly been pleaded by the general masses as well as different social, cultural and literary organization. The Doordarshan Approved Drama Artists Association (DADAA) and all other social-cultural organizations and numerous prominent citizens have raised their voice for it in the past.years This demand has now caught the imagination of the people residing not only within Duggar region but also living outside the State and even abroad. The Non Resident Dogras too have been advocating the necessity of satellite Duggar Channel as they too want to remain in touch with their traditions, social conditions and vibrant cultural roots through this potent telecast medium.
Well Argued Case
But strangely they have been deprived of their rights in many sectors including Duggar Channel, so far. Why is it so? How their legitimate demand for Duggar Channel has not been met by the Governments till this day? It is still not too late to do the needful by the present coalition Governments, in Jammu and Kashmir as also at the Centre.
In the Kashir Channel, the Dogri and Jammu region’s literary, social and cultural activities are not given due coverage and exposure in terms of time slot ,space or attention. The DD Kendra, Jammu has minimal allocation of funds as compared with other DD stations and the basic infrastructure is in place with avilability of high resource of skill and talent. This station must be upgraded and made operational for Duggar channel. The think tank in I&B Ministry, the Prasar Bharti as also at Mandi House must join hands to start the Duggar Channel for yielding more tangible results.
Rich Dividends
It is worthwhile to mention that in addition to Dogri other sister languages like Gojri, Mirpuri, Punjabi, Pahari, Poonchi, Bhaderwahi, will be given full opportunities. It further adds weight to the demand that in order to counter Pak propaganda “Duggar Channel” would serve the cause in far more effectively.
A point to remember is that proposed channel shall cover nearly 32,200 sq. kms in Jammu as well as some parts of PoK for TV broadcast as compared to about 22,200 sq. kms being catered from Srinagar.
Admittedly, the Dogras do have valid and fundamental right to have a Duggar Channel. Jammu and Kashmir has two state Capitals: Jammu and Srinagar. The big question is why not have two channels in this strategic and sensitive State having different cultures, languages, topography and other social factors?
Voice of Masses
Prof Lalit Magotra, ex-president, Dogri Sanstha, has said that the “Kashir Channel’, the only 24-hour Satellite Channel in the J&K State, does not cater to the needs and aspirations of the Jammu region and hence there is an urgent need of a full-fledged Duggar Channel to adequately cater not only to the Dogri language but also Punjabi, Pahari, Gojri and Bhaderwahi, which have a minimal representation (less than two per cent) in Kashir Channel.”
All regional languages have been provided separate satellite channels but unfortunately such is not the case with Dogri, a major language of J&K State is also in vogue in the PoK areas, parts of Himachal Pradesh, few pockets of Punjab and also within Pakistan too. He pointed out that the Kashir Channel, whose main task was to counter the false Pak propaganda and to educate the people about truth regarding terrorism, has failed in its objective. Only a Duggar Channel can play a decisive role in this regard. Moreover, the Duggar Channel will highlight the composite, diverse and composite and harmonious culture of this part of the nation.
Joginder Chhatarpal, president, Dogri Sanstha, premier organization committed for preservation and promotion of literary and cultural heritage too has strongly demanded setting up the ‘Satellite Duggar Channel’ without any delay.
Well-known scholar, Prof Ved Ghai, a livewire social activist and former HoD, Sanskrit, Jammu University asked why not a channel devoted to Duggar’s cultural heritage and take steps for promotion of Dogri, Gojri and other sister languages? It would give a boost to developmental efforts in this sensitive border part of the country. Definitely, people’s demand should be met as early as possible, she emphasized.
Ashok Khajuria, MLC and former J&K BJP chief, is all for the Duggar channel and strongly pleaded for setting it up. He underscored that this is right time to do it now during the present regime.
Padam Shri Jitendra Udhampuri, an eminent writer, asserted that this genuine public demand must be met as all the sections of society stand solidly behind this movement.
Prof Zahor ud Din, a top Urdu scholar and ex-Registrar, Jammu University stoutly supported the demand for Duggar Channel,Jammu for projecting unique culture and promoting Dogri and all other local languages to fully flourish and step up development activities.
Balwant Thakur stated : “The demand for a separate ‘Duggar Channel’ is highly genuine. It will help in integrating the entire region and will represent the variegated variety of different artistic expressions in varied regional languages in addition to Dogri and other sister languages, mesmerizing folklore and vibrant traditions. At a time of globalization, this demand must be executed as top priority of the Government.
Prof Veena Gupta, ex-HoD, Dogri , Jammu University and an exponent of Dogri held that long-pending need for identity of the people of Jammu region must be met now without further loss of time.
Prof. Shohab Inayat Malik, Director, Kishtwar campus of Jammu University and a cultural activist, has
has supported setting up exclusive Duggar channel to give a fillip to academic, cultural and literary programmes .
Prof Raju Goyal, HoD, Political Science, Jammu University fully endorsed this genuine demand for a new channel in consonance with people’s aspirations for promotion and preservation of unique linguistic and cultural identity for overall unity and integrity of the nation.
The Jammu State Morcha too has strongly endorsed the demand for starting a separate and independent Channel on the pattern of DD Kashir Channel.
A deputation led by Gulchain Singh Charak, president, Dogra Saddar Sabha has called for prompt implementation on the long pending public demand for a new channel to project and promote multiple languages, faiths and cultures of Jammu region.
High Expectations
A cross-section of people has also strongly supported this demand. A youth Dalbir Singh Jamwal, a P-G student of Jammu University, lamented that Dogri language and Duggar’s culture are discriminated and their voice throttled. Let them have justice at least during the present regime. Ms Harpreet Kaur, a house wife in Kathua expects Duggar channel as a matter of right. Feroz Ahmad, an artist spoke about the need for exclusive channel for flowering the latent talent of promising artists in Jammu. Ms Aarushi Verma , a school teacher called for Dogri Channel to promote education among students in their mother tongue. Prominent writers, poets, drama artists, TV film producers, social activists, politicians, ex-servicemen, doctors, lawyers and other professionals too have pleaded for the Duggar Channel.
The I&B Ministry as also the Parsar Bharti must concede this demand without further loss of time as much of basic infrastructure is available at DD Kendra, Jammu which can be used to start with for propagation of cultural values; linguistic needs, social plurality and overall development of J&K , as also to meet the challenge of anti-India propaganda with facts and figures in a more striking manner.
Jammu is more suitable place to propagate and promote our prospective policies, planes and programmes for infusing confidence among the people along the borders and also counter nefarious propaganda .
Prompt Action Needed
All from Jammu province, irrespective of religion, political ideology, any social considerations have come forth in one voice for this noble cause. It is high time to awaken, arise and rest not till the demand for Satellite Duggar Channel is not fully met.
The proposed Dugger channel shall not only cover the area of Jammu province but it shall be spread over entire Jammu and Kashmir as well as PoK areas. The channel, when started shall go a long way in establishing emotional and cultural links with the people at large in this sub-continent promoting durable peace, rapid progress and harmony. The new channel shall flourish and enrich the national multi-cultural and forwarded looking society in India.
(Starline Syndicate Service)
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