JAMMU, Sep 29: J&K Apni Party Provincial President Jammu Province Manjit Singh today demanded that the Omar Abdullah-led government take a clear and immediate position on granting official language status to Punjabi in Jammu and Kashmir, saying that if the government repeatedly speaks about rights and institutions that were altered after August 5, 2019, it must also address the exclusion of Punjabi from the list of official languages. This was stated by Singh while addressing deputation on the subject.
Manjit Singh said the issue of Punjabi language had now reached a stage where merely expressing sympathy or assuring deputations was not sufficient. He urged the Omar Abdullah government to bring an appropriate amendment to the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020 before the Legislative Assembly and formally include Punjabi among the official languages of the Union Territory.
The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020 currently recognises Kashmiri, Dogri, Urdu, Hindi and English as official languages. Section 4 of the Act, however, separately provides for the promotion and development of regional languages and specifically mentions Gojri, Pahari and Punjabi for special efforts.
Manjit Singh said the government cannot selectively raise questions about changes made after August 5, 2019, while remaining silent on a linguistic demand that has repeatedly been placed before successive governments through memorandums and deputations.
“If the Omar Abdullah government believes that several rights and provisions of Jammu and Kashmir were changed after August 5, 2019, then it must also tell the people why the genuine demand for restoring Punjabi’s official status is being kept pending. Punjabi is not merely a language of a particular community; it is part of the historical and cultural fabric of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
He maintained that the demand should not be viewed through a narrow political or community lens. According to him, recognition of Punjabi would send a positive message to Punjabi-speaking people across both divisions of Jammu and Kashmir and demonstrate that the elected government is prepared to respond to legitimate linguistic and cultural concerns.
Manjit Singh pointed out that the issue is already being raised through formal democratic channels. A recent delegation of the J&K Punjabi Bhasha Adhikar Sabha, led by Convenor Sandeep Singh Rissam, submitted a memorandum to Cabinet Minister Satish Sharma, seeking official administrative language status for Punjabi and urging the government to introduce an amendment to the 2020 Act. The delegation specifically called for an amendment Bill to be brought before the Legislative Assembly.
He said that this was not an isolated representation. Punjabi-speaking groups, Sikh organisations, civil society representatives and other delegations have repeatedly approached political and administrative authorities over the issue.
Earlier this year, an All Jammu and Kashmir Jatt Sabha delegation led by Manjit Singh himself had also called on Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and submitted a memorandum seeking official-language status for Punjabi in J&K. The delegation had also sought inclusion of Punjabi in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
“The matter has already reached the government through deputations and memorandums. The Cabinet has heard the representatives. Now the people want action, not another assurance,” Manjit Singh said.Manjit Singh said the present demand also needs to be viewed in the context of Punjabi’s historical position in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. He said that the language has deep historical, literary and cultural roots in the region and continues to be spoken and understood by a sizeable section of the population.
He argued that the 2020 legislation created a distinction between languages recognised for official purposes and languages that are merely to be promoted. Under the Act, Punjabi is specifically mentioned for promotion and development, but it is not included in the five-language list for official purposes.
“This distinction needs to be reconsidered. A language cannot be kept confined to cultural programmes and literary activities when its speakers are demanding a place in the administrative and official framework of the Union Territory,” he said.
The JKAP Provincial President urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to demonstrate his government’s commitment to linguistic diversity by taking the matter to the Cabinet and bringing an amendment Bill to the Legislative Assembly.He said the elected government has the institutional opportunity to address the issue through the legislative process rather than leaving it to repeated representations.
“The government should make its position clear. If it supports linguistic rights and the preservation of Jammu and Kashmir’s diverse cultural identity, it should have no hesitation in initiating the necessary legislative amendment. The demand is before the government; the Cabinet must now take a decision,” Manjit Singh said.He further appealed to all political parties and elected representatives to rise above party lines on the issue and support a legislative solution.
Manjit Singh said the inclusion of Punjabi as an official language would not diminish the status or importance of any existing official language. Instead, he said, it would recognise the linguistic diversity of Jammu and Kashmir and provide Punjabi-speaking citizens with greater institutional recognition.
He concluded by saying that the Omar Abdullah government should treat the matter as a question of linguistic recognition, cultural dignity and equal representation, and move the required amendment in the Assembly without further delay.