JAMMU, Dec 17: Students, led by the ABVP, gathered in large numbers on Tuesday to protest against what they claim is the Jammu and Kashmir government’s bias towards Hindi and Sanskrit during recent recruitment processes. The demonstration blocked the primary Tawi bridge on the highway.
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The protesters accused the National Conference-led administration of neglecting Hindi and Sanskrit in a recent hiring announcement from the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC), which pertains to 10+2 Lecturer positions.
They also alleged that the government is favoring foreign languages such as Arabic and Persian as specified in the recruitment notification.
Equipped with placards and chanting slogans, demonstrators marched from Jammu University through the city, denouncing what they termed “regional and linguistic discrimination.”
“This constitutes a form of regional and linguistic bias from the current government. Rather than advancing our national languages, such as Hindi and Sanskrit, these are being purposely overlooked. These languages form a part of our identity,” asserted ABVP leader Surinder Singh.
“We harbor no animosity towards any language, but the government’s inclination towards foreign languages over Hindi and Sanskrit appears to be a deliberate strategy. This represents an attack on our civilization, which we cannot accept,” he further emphasized.
Fellow ABVP leader Anita Devi shared her views, stating, “This struggle transcends recruitment; it’s a battle for our cultural identity.”
The agitated students voiced their dissatisfaction over the JKPSC’s decision to omit lecturer positions for Hindi and Sanskrit in its November 12 announcement, despite the inclusion of 575 other teaching vacancies.
“We hold Education Minister Sakina Itoo accountable and caution the Omar Abdullah-led government that students in Jammu will not passively accept this. The government’s Kashmir-centric policies are intolerable, and we will combat this discrimination vigorously,” declared one protestor.
As the dharna continued, several protesters willingly faced arrest, and some were detained by law enforcement while senior police and administrative officials attempted to engage with them to lift the blockade.
The BJP and various Jammu-based organizations have also condemned the government’s actions, warning of serious consequences.
“The NC government has only recently resumed power and has already initiated its Kashmir-centric policies, disregarding the valid aspirations of Jammu’s youth. This is unacceptable, and we will not tolerate it,” stated BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa.
He urged the JKPSC to ensure equitable representation for regional languages by adding 200 positions for Hindi and at least 20 positions each for Dogri, Punjabi, and Sanskrit.
