A high level delegation of Core Committee of Pahari Speaking People of Chenab Valley met Secretary Academy Of Art, Culture and Languages Mrs. Krittika Jyosna IAS and extended warm welcome for assuming the charge. The delegation extended warm welcome to Secretary and presented a bouquet of flowers as a goodwill gesture. The delegation highlighted the core issues of the western pahari dialects and their inclusion in the 8th schedule of the constitution. The delegation submitted a memorandum of demands and urged Secretary Academy of Art, Culture and Languages to create a separate section and recognise these endangered languages spoken in Chenab valley like Pogali, Bhadarwahi, Bhalessa, Sirazi, Kishtwari and Paddri. As per hand out issued the delegation was comprised of members of different literary associations of Chenab Valley which are working for the promotion of these languages. Abdul Majeed Bichoo said that Chenab valley has unique cultural diversity that needs to be preserved and promoted. He said that the people of this region have been neglected and they have been denied the status of Pahari speaking people which is really sheer injustice. He demanded that the unique cultural diversity of Chenab valley should be promoted at govt level and due representation should be given to the people of speaking these languages. He requested Secretary JKAACL to initiate the process of recognition of these languages and creating of separate section for these endangered language.Sadaket Malik a convener of the Core Committee of Pahari Speaking people urged Secretary Krittika Jyosna to register these languages with Academy of Art,Culture and Languages so that the cultural traditions of Chenab valley be promoted, preserved and transmitted to younger generation. He also said that there is dire need that Academy should work for the upliftment of these languages and cultures for having unique identity. He said that the different Linguistics have classified these languages as Western Pahari dialects in the Linguistic Survey Of India which need to be developed through the existing section of Pahari established in JKAACL.
Dr.Javaid Ahmed Katoch and Fozia Mughal senior members of core Committee also advocated to recognize Pogali, Sirazi, Bhadarwahi, Bhaleasi, Kishtwari and Padri as western Pahari Dialects and create different posts so that these languages may get due attention. They also said that this will help to give due representation to the speakers of these languages. Secretary JKAACL gave patient hearing and assured the delegation that the Academy will surely work for the development of these languages and these languages will get due attention so as to promote the unique cultural diversity of these areas like Bhaderwah, Padder, Bhaleasa, Siraz and Pogal Paristan.Dr.Javaid Ahmed katoch thanked Krittika Jyosana for being showing concern and assuring kind support in order to create separate section for these dialects. The delegation was comprised of representatives of different literary association of Chinab Valley including Bhalessa Saqafti Markaz, Iqbal Bazm i Adab Bhaderwah, Pogli Bazm e Adab Pogal Paristan, Sapphire Culture of Padder Elite (SCOPE) Padder, Serazi Youth Club Seraz.The other delegates were Sohail Saddiqui, Jugesh Singh, Mohd Iqbal,Naveed Anjum, and many others.
The Chenab Times News Desk