The civil society in Kashmir today
rejected the reported move by the Ministry of Human Resource Development to introduce Devnagari as alternative script for Kashmiri language through its proposed council.
"A group of writers, poets, artists, academicians, social activists and businessmen unequivocally resolved that the proposal to introduce Devnagari script was unacceptable," Adbee Markaz Kamraz, a literary body, said in a statement after a meeting.
In a resolution passed after the meeting, the literary body claimed that the move is politically motivated aimed at bifurcating the Kashmiri community in the name of the script.
"It is aimed at demolishing our cultural identity as the existing script has been in vogue for past over five centuries and entire Kashmiri literature was available in this script. There is no need to have an alternative script that will not only divide the place but also lead to confusion," the resolution said.
The meeting impressed upon the political leadership of the state across the divide to play its role in forcing the government to stop this move.
"The Chief Minister should also intervene and make Delhi understand that this will have dangerous ramifications," it added.
The participants warned the HRD Ministry to desist from taking such a step and also clarify its stand. They welcomed the proposal to have National Council for Promotion of Kashmiri language but it should serve the language only through the existing script.
Ghulam Nabi Khayal, well-known writer and journalist, said the HRD ministry has shown "disrespect" towards Kashmiri literature and writers by proposing this move.
"They should come clear on the issue otherwise whole civil society and intellectual class will be forced to come on the roads," he said.
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Abdul Majeed Zargar, a civil society activist, alleged the move was a part of a "big conspiracy" to suppress Kashmiri identity.
Writer Deepak Kanwal said "the proposal is unacceptable to the Kashmiri Pandit community also as it is being projected on communal lines by some unscrupulous elements."
He said Kashmiri Pandit writers had been writing in Persio-Arabic script and they are comfortable in it as it does not violate their religious obligations.
"We must unite on this issue and fight the bad people who are trying to create a crack between the communities," he said.
Senior journalist Syed Shuja'at Bukhari said 99 percent Kashmiri literature is written in Perso-Arabic script and it has a legal and constitutional recognition as well.
"So the proposal is truly a part of conspiracy which we need to tackle strongly," he said.
