Opposing the  Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting  move  to exclude Gojri -the language of Gujjars  of Jammu and Kashmir ,in  commissioning of new programmes,  to be telecast on ‘Kashir Channel’ , the  Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation  (TRCF) today lodged strong protest  against keeping out the main tribal language of state from  the list of languages for which new proposals  have been sought by the Ministry.

The TRCF , in a letter,  addressed to Prime Minister of India , Narindera Modi and Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting,M. Venkaiah Naidu and demanded due share for Gojri- the third largest Language of State after Kashmiri and Dogri.

A programme to register demonstration,  held here,  under the banner of Tribal Foundation.  The programme  was presided over by noted scholar Dr. Javaid Rahi and attended by a number of tribal writers discussed  the issue related to ignorance of Gojri on DD Kashir.

Dr Javaid Rahi, in his address  said that the Channel does not telecast even a five minutes programme in Gojri, the language of about 25 % population of the State, in its 24X7 telecasts and did not cover remote villages and tribal population of the state in their own mother
tong.

The speakers vehemently condemned and opposed the Cultural invasion unleashed on Gujjars by the  Kashir Channel of Doordarshan. They
alleged that Kashir Channel is in no way the representative Channel of all communities and tribes of J&K State.
They said “Kashir Channel has not only failed in meeting the aspiration and expectations of the people of Jammu region as well as the tribals residing in boarder belts of Kashmir valley, it has also
failed in its much publicized aim of countering the false and malicious propaganda of the Channels from across the International borders.

They said in new guidelines issued by  Ministry of I&B no representation is given to  Art, Culture, Language of Tribal Gujjars for which they are known World  over. As a matter of fact, Gujjars living in the higher reaches of the mountainous region of the State requires DD support to disseminate information.

The Kashir channel telecast  14 hour programme daily , the speakers demanded for allotment of minimum Four hours daily Gojri programme besides news over “Kashir Channel” for equitable representation in order to fulfil the legitimate aspirations. The speakers included Ali Mohammad  Chowdahry, Ch. Din Mohd Dhakar, Khadam Hussain Tedwa, Rana Mir Mohd Gujjar, Mohd Rizwan and others.

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