Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 18: Opposing Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting move to exclude Gojri -the language of Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir, in commissioning of new programmes, to be telecast on ‘Kashir Channel’, the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation (TRCF) today lodged strong protest against keeping out the main tribal language of State from the list of languages for which new proposals have been sought by the Ministry.
The TRCF, in a letter, addressed to Prime Minister Narindera Modi and Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, M Venkaiah Naidu, has demanded due share for Gojri- the third largest language of State after Kashmiri and Dogri.
A programme to register remonstration was also held here under the banner of Tribal Foundation. The programme was presided over by noted scholar Dr Javaid Rahi and attended by a number of tribal writers who discussed the issue related to ignorance of Gojri on DD Kashir.
Dr Javaid Rahi, in his address, said that the DD Channel does not telecast even a five minutes programme in Gojri, the language of about 25 percent population of the State, and did not cover remote villages and tribal population of the State in their own mother tongue.
The speakers vehemently condemn and oppose the Cultural invasion unleashed on Gujjars by the Kashir Channel of Doordarshan. They alleged that Kashir Channel is in no way the representative Channel of all communities and tribes of J&K State.
They said that Kashir Channel has not only failed in meeting the aspiration and expectations of the people of Jammu region as well as the tribals residing in boarder belts of Kashmir valley, it has also failed in its much publicized aim of countering the false and malicious propaganda of the channels from across the border.
They said that in new guidelines issued by Ministry of I&B, no representation has been given to art culture, language of Tribal Gujjar. They demanded allotment of minimum four hours daily Gojri programme besides news over “Kashir Channel”.
The speakers included Ali Mohammad Chowdahry, Ch. Din Mohd Dhakar, Khadam Hussain Tedwa, Rana Mir Mohd Gujjar, Mohd Rizwan and others.
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