KL Desk
Jammu
To discuss role of media in projection of Gujjars, Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation (TRCF) on Sunday convened a meeting where the members expressed a strong resentment against non-representation of their mother tongue in daily broadcast of various channels of AIR and DD in the state including Kashir Chanel and DD Jammu.
Demanding adequate time slot to Gojri language on local stations of All India Radio and Doordarshan, proportionate to their population in Jammu and Kashmir, secretary Tribal foundation, Dr. Javaid Rahi told the meeting that Gojri is one of the significant languages of India and it needs special attention and encouragement of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting Government of India with due representation on AIR and DD channels.
He said a delegation of prominent Gojri writers had met with Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting twice in Srinagar and Delhi a few months back and demanded that the DD Rajouri be be declared “DD Gojri” immediately but nothing emerge concrete out of it adding that a delegation of Gojri writers will visit Delhi during next month to pursue the case there.
“Centre has allocated more than hundreds of crore rupees this year for DD channels in J&K but it is astonishing that DD does not telecast even a single daily programme in Gojri- the language of Gujjars in its 24 X 7 telecast of various DD channels in J&K,” said Dr Rahi.
Dr. Rahi said the DD News Srinagar has been failed to counter the Pakistan Television (PTV) Gojri News bulletin aired daily at 4:30 pm through its powerful transmitters set up along the border.
The Gujjars and Bakerwals –the speaker of Gojri language constitute more than 20 per cent population of the state are thus completely ignored by the DD in J&K and no proper representation is given to their art, culture, languages, customs and secular ethos for which they are known all over the world.
The other speakers alleged that DD channels are in no way the representative channel of all communities and tribes of J&K State. They said Gojri has been given 2 per cent representation each in its 24×7 telecast of DD Kashir channel and this is humiliating even this 2 per cent representation is also not being given to us.
All the speakers demanded that at least one hour daily programme in Gojri should be started from DD Sringar, DD Jammu and due representation should be given to Gojri speaking people on DD Kashir.
