SRINAGAR: In a rare move aimed at celebrating International Mother Language Day, Jammu and Kashmir’s premier financial organisation, the Jammu and Kashmir Bank forgot mentioning Kashmiri in its artwork that the bank uploaded on social media. The bank was literally roasted by the people on social media for the apparent goof-up.

The artwork showcasing a mother and a kid mentions Urdu, Hindu and many other languages but has excluded Kashmiri. Its caption reads: “We proudly speak the language of respect and diversity.” It has even missed Dogri.

https://twitter.com/JandKBank/status/1363359444197724160

“As President Adbee Markaz Kamraz I strongly condemn the discriminatory attitude of J&K Bank functionaries. By doing so they have demonstrated their sick mentality,” Amin Bhat wrote on his Facebook wall. “We will not take it lying down. By blacking out a language that is spoken by eight million people in J&k; is a language recognised in 8th schedule is the official language of j&k they have only reduced their own constituency and played with emotions of hundreds and thousands of their clients.”
Mohammad Amin Bhat

The post started trending on social media soon after Adbi Markaz Kamraz (AMK) concluded its brief function at the Kashmir Press Club where senior journalists were invited for a quick session in understanding the basics of the Kashmiri language – vowels and consonants.  An AMK language expert gave a quick lecture on the use of the basic scripting of the language that is now one of the many official languages of Jammu and Kashmir.

The media fraternity appreciated the AMK initiative and hoped it will continue so that the scribes are able to read and write the language. Soe journalists offered their suggestions in helping the Kashmiri language grow and become a much stronger language of knowledge and commerce.
Till October 2019, Urdu was the only official language in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. In 2020 the Parliament passed a bill to make Kashmiri an official language of Jammu and Kashmir along with Dogri, Hindi, English and Urdu. Kashmiri is also among the 22 scheduled languages of India.

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