The Jammu and Kashmir government's decision to create 49 assistant professor posts for teaching Kashmiri in colleges of the Dogra-majority Jammu belt has triggered a row with various Jammu-based organisations terming the order as an "assault on Dogra identity".
Several organisations, including the Dogri Bhasha Academy and the Jammu Duggar Manch, today took out a protest march against the move.
The president of the Duggar Manch, Mohan Singh, said it was an "anti-dogra and anti-Jammu" decision and demanded that the government revoke the order of "imposition of Kashmiri on the Dogra-speaking region".
"It is an assault on Dogri and the Dogra culture. The Dogra people will never tolerate this non-serious attitude of the government," he said addressing the protesters.
Major General (retd) Goverdhan Singh Jamwal said if Kashmiri was imposed on the people of the Jammu region, "then Dogri and Ladhakhi should also be taught in the Kashmir region".
He said the Duggar Manch and other allied organisations would start a mass movement in the Jammu region if the government did not withdraw the order.
Atul Sudan, a student leader, threatened agitation by students against the order if it was not revoked.
The Dogri Sanstha also organised a seminar and asked the government to immediately rescind the "arbitrary order".
"It's a deep-rooted conspiracy to diminish the Dogra culture," prominent Dogri writer Lalit Magotra said addressing the seminar on the issue.
Seeking an explanation on the parameters of creating such a big number of posts of assistant professors of Kashmiri language in Jammu colleges, Magotra said the Dogri Sanstha will force the government to review its policy.
"Even as the Dogri Sanstha is a platform of literary people and meant to work for Dogri language, in such a situation, we have no option other than to take to the streets and launch a vigorous agitation against this vicious move," he said.
President of Bar Association Jammu B S Slathia said: "The time has come to rise against anti-Jammu moves for which common people will have to take lead instead of looking towards the leaders who take directions from Delhi," he said.
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