Sikh community stages dharna for official language status to Punjabi

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 1: Demanding inclusion of Punjabi as an official language of Jammu and Kashmir, members of Sikh community and their leaders staged a dharna near the statue of Maharaja Hari Singh adjoining main Tawi Bridge, here today.

The protest dharna was led by Taranjit Singh Tony, Chairman of Gurdwara Rani Talab, Digiana; former minister Manjit Singh and several prominent Sikh leaders, who vowed to continue the struggle till Punjabi is granted the status of official language in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.

Carrying banners and placards in their hands, they raised slogans in support of the demand and appealed the Omar Abdullah Government to take necessary action for according due status to Punjabi.

The protest dharna was also addressed by the community leader, who appealed the entire Sikh Sangat to remain united over the issue. “Punjabi is our language, our identity and an inseparable part of the heritage of Jammu & Kashmir. We are not asking for anything unreasonable. We are demanding that Punjabi be given its due place in the official language framework of J&K,” said Taranjit Singh Tony.

The community leaders stressed that Punjabi is an inseparable component of J&K’s cultural, historical, and administrative ethos. “For over six decades, Punjabi enjoyed full, equal constitutional recognition alongside Kashmiri and Dogri under Schedule VI of the former Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir (1956). Stripping this status overnight in September 2020 created a deep sense of cultural disenfranchisement among the Sikh Sangat,” they claimed.

Reiterating that the community would continue struggle till official language status is accorded to Punjabi, the Sikh leaders appealed all the political and social organizations to extended their support to the demand.