Srinagar: Adbee Markaz Kamraz (AMK) has expressed serious concern over the reported lobbying by a section of Kashmiri speaking population urging Government of India (GOI) to introduce Devnagri as an alternative script.
In a statement issued to KNS, the AMK spokesman said that move was only aimed to undermine the importance of the language spoken by the majority of population in Jammu and Kashmir. The current Persio-Arabic script is approved one by both GOI and Government of Jammu and Kashmir and to seek Devnagri’s inclusion as alternative was not based on sincerity but to divide the language on communal basis. It is worth mentioning here that for many centuries all the Kashmiri writers have been writing in the same script.
The spokesman recalled that a similar move was made during UPA-I government but it was resented by the people in general and political as well as cultural organizations in particular, following which the then HRD Minister Arjun Singh made an announcement on the floor of the parliament that such a proposal cannot be accepted.
AMK strongly believes that the language is a binding force between communities and any effort to divide it on the basis of a script can only lead to furthering the distances. Kashmiri language, the spokesman said that has been the biggest link between various Kashmiri speaking communities despite the turbulent times the Valley has seen in 25 years.
He reiterated that any such move will be fought tooth and nail and cautioned the GOI against entertaining any such move. AMK, he said advises the elements behind this move to participate in the larger goal of togetherness and make language as a strong bond. A minuscule minority, the spokesman said should not be allowed to hoodwink the opinion.
The spokesman said that AMK would soon write to HRD Minister, Governor and Chief Minister putting forth its viewpoint and apprise them about the consequences in case such a move was accepted.