“Nobody Can Snatch Your Language From You”: Mehbooba Mufti To Kashmiris

Advocating the use of regional languages in the Kashmir valley, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti appealed to people to speak in their mother tongues in their homes and said that no one can snatch their language unless they forget it themselves.

“Your homes, your water can be snatched away from you, even your land can be taken away, but nobody can take away your language from you unless you forget that yourself,” PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti said addressing an event at Gurjar Desh Charitable Trust in Jammu on Saturday.

Mehbooba Mufti said that Kashmiris need to speak their languages in their homes. She also said that the Kashmiri language has its own importance and today’s generation is not giving proper interest to their mother tongue and instead is using English while talking with their children.

“We should speak our languages in our homes. We have stopped speaking our languages, be it Kashmiri, Dogri or Gujari. Now, when a child is born, parents use wirds, ‘come here’, ‘go there’ (in English),” the PDP chief said.

The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister requested people start speaking in their mother tongue with their children at their homes if they want to save their language.

“So I would like to plead with you to talk in your own language, your mother tongue, at home with your kids. If you want to save your language, whether it is Dogri, Gujari, Kashmiri. No one can snatch that away,” Mehbooba Mufti said.

Meanwhile, Mehbooba Mufti recalled the contributions of Masud Choudhary, former Vice-Chancellor of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU) and Chairman of Gujjar Desh Charitable Trust, on his first death anniversary.

Recalling his contributions to education and philanthropy, the former Chief Minister said that his legacy continues to inspire future generations.

Widely known as Sir Syed of the Gujjar community for his untiring efforts in areas of social and educational awakening, Chaudhary retired as Additional Director General of Police in 2004.

Soon after that, he was appointed as the founder Vice-Chancellor of the Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University in Rajouri, where he eventually continued his service for two tenures.

“When Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University was established, Mufti Sahab entrusted Masud Chaudhary with the job, knowing he could deliver. He reluctantly pursued the cause of the tribal community and especially focused on their education and empowerment,” Mehbooba Mufti said.

Earlier on Monday, the PDP suspended all of its political activities for seven days to stand in solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of the Supreme Court’s verdict on Article 370.

A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court on Monday unanimously upheld the validity of the Union government’s 2019 decision to abrogate Article 370 of the Constitution, which conferred the special status of Jammu and Kashmir, while pointing out that Article 370 is a “temporary provision.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)