Speakers stress upon adopting Kashmiri as first language

Srinagar: Asking the young students to adopt Kashmiri as their first language, noted writer and scholar Mohammad Zaman Azurdah Saturday said that it was the mother tongue that symbolizes one’s identity and it needs to be protected at all the costs.

He was delivering the 3rd extension lecture organized by Adbee Markaz Kamraz (AMK) at Qamaria Higher Secondary School Ganderbal. Prof Azurdah said that Kashmiri language has been facing a threat for long time but in the past few years the movement for its revival has also gained momentum. “It is our identity and if lose the language we lose our identity” he said and asked the young students to live with “your mother tongue”. Stating that the students should strive to learn other languages also, Prof Azurdah said that it was important to master as many as languages one can do. Quoting Late Agha Shahid Ali, he said that after going to America, he (Shahid) had written to his father saying “I feel crippled without my mother tongue”.

The noted writer said that Kashmiri language was rich in every respect. “Look at the phraseology and the extra number of vowels. You will find it richer than any other language” he said adding that Kashmiris should be proud of their language and culture. He lauded the Qamaria School management for opening the doors for discussion on the language.

Chairman Qamaria School and former Chief Secretary Sheikh Ghulam Rasool expressed dismay over “the fact that we are unfortunate nation”. “We have only seen oppression in last over 500 years and we continue to face an onslaught on our identity,” he said adding that regional political parties such as National Conference have failed to do so and “I don’t think PDP can do either”.

He criticized the government for turning a blind eye towards Urdu language, which is the official language of the state. “When I was MLC a resolution was passed in Council to look into the problems of Urdu and a committee was set up under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary but we did not hear anything about its fate till now”, said Rasool . He blamed former rulers Bakhshi Ghulam Mohammad and G M Sadiq for doing a dis-service to Kashmiri language. The former Chief Secretary said that it was mandatory for IAS officers to learn Kashmiri language and pass an examination but none of them do it. “Unless we make a resolve from our homes, we cannot save the mother tongue” he said.

President AMK Dr Shujaat Bukhari said that the objective of the lecture series that started from DPS Srinagar was to sensitize the new generation about the importance of mother tongue. General Secretary AMK Mohammad Amin Bhat announced that the lecture series will be taken to length and breadth of Kashmir , Chenab valley and Pir Panchal. Students of school presented a Kashmiri song and Laadi Shah on the occasion.

AMK secretary G N Shakir, executive members Abdul Ahad Hajini, Syed Akhtar Rasool, Majid Majazi, Jameel Ansari, Mohiuudin Shilzari and Principal of School Assadullah Ganai were also present. (KNS)