Punjabi Morcha Intensifies stir: BJP calls for special assembly session, 29 MLAs to Back Bill; Congress Extends Support
Sikh Nowjawan Sabhas of Simbal Camp & Miran Sahib Join Dharna; Congress, Azad Samaj Party, Sikh Trust, Gurdwaras & JK Blood Donors Society Extend Written Support
Punjabi Morcha Intensifies stir: BJP calls for special assembly session, 29 MLAs to Back Bill; Congress Extends Support
Sikh Nowjawan Sabhas of Simbal Camp & Miran Sahib Join Dharna; Congress, Azad Samaj Party, Sikh Trust, Gurdwaras & JK Blood Donors Society Extend Written Support
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.
The organisers said the growing number of written endorsements demonstrated that the demand was no longer confined to one organisation or one locality but was receiving support from political parties, Gurdwara committees, Sikh institutions, youth organisations, social bodies and civil society groups.
Taranjit Singh Tony, Chairman, Gurdwara Rani Talab, Digiana, welcomed the BJP delegation and representatives of the organisations arriving at the Dharna site.
Tony said the BJP’s call for a special session and assurance of support from all its 29 MLAs had given further momentum to the movement.
“The BJP has now called for a one-day special session and has assured that all its 29 MLAs will support the Punjabi Language Bill. We welcome this position and appeal to the government to take the next step. Punjabi deserves official recognition in Jammu & Kashmir,” Tony said.
He also welcomed the participation of Sikh Nowjawan Sabha, Simbal Camp and Sikh Nowjawan Sabha, Miran Sahib, saying the arrival of youth organisations in rallies reflected growing grassroots participation in the movement.
Tony said the written support extended by Congress, Azad Samaj Party, Sikh organisations, Gurdwaras and social bodies had further strengthened the demand.
The organisers reiterated that the Punjabi Language Morcha would remain peaceful, democratic and constitutional, while continuing its outreach to political parties, elected representatives, Gurdwara committees, Sikh organisations, social institutions and community bodies.
They appealed to all political parties and elected representatives to rise above political differences and support the legislative recognition of Punjabi.
The organisers maintained that the demand was about linguistic recognition, cultural identity and equal representation, and that according official-language status to Punjabi would strengthen the pluralistic character of Jammu & Kashmir.
The Morcha organisers further stated that the mobilisation would continue until the government takes a concrete and positive decision on the demand.
They appealed to the government to respond to the growing public and political support by convening a one-day special session of the J&K Legislative Assembly and bringing the Punjabi Language Bill before the House.
The Punjabi Language Morcha entered Day 7 with expanding political backing, stronger grassroots participation and a widening circle of written supporters, putting the demand for official recognition of Punjabi firmly on the public agenda of Jammu & Kashmir.
