JAMMU, OCT 5: Chairman of the Baba Banda Singh Bahadur Memorial Trust, J&K, Dr. Satwant Singh Rissam has called upon the Government of Jammu and Kashmir to issue a comprehensive white paper on the exclusion of Punjabi from the Union Territory’s official-language framework, seeking transparency on the considerations and consultations that preceded the decision.
Under the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020, Kashmiri, Dogri, Urdu, Hindi and English are designated as official languages for official purposes of the Union Territory, while Punjabi does not figure in the statutory list.
Dr. Rissam said the absence of Punjabi from the list has raised concerns among Punjabi-speaking residents and sections of the Sikh community, and sought a formal explanation from the administration on the basis on which the language was not included.
He demanded that the proposed white paper spell out the criteria, data and policy considerations relied upon while finalising the official-language framework. He also sought details of consultations, if any, held with Punjabi-speaking residents, Sikh organisations, teachers, writers, academics and language experts before the legislation was enacted.
According to Dr. Rissam, the review should go beyond the question of official recognition and examine the possible implications for education, cultural preservation, public administration and access to government services for Punjabi-speaking residents. He urged the administration to place relevant information in the public domain so that the issue can be examined through an informed and transparent process.
He further called for a clear, time-bound mechanism to review the existing language policy, including consideration of possible legislative amendments if the government concludes that Punjabi should be accorded official-language status in J&K.
“Punjabi is not merely a language; it is an important part of Jammu and Kashmir’s history, identity and cultural heritage. The people deserve transparency, accountability and a clear explanation,” Dr. Rissam said.
He appealed to the government to address the matter through a formal, consultative and time-bound process, involving stakeholders from the linguistic, educational and cultural fields, and to make the findings of any such review publicly available.
The demand places the focus on the broader question of how linguistic representation, cultural heritage and access to public institutions are reflected in J&K’s statutory language framework, while seeking an institutional review rather than an informal assurance.
