AMK organizes meet on International Mother Tongue Day

Srinagar, Feb 21: On the eve of International Mother Tongue Day, Adbee Markaz Kamraz (AMK) on Sunday organized an informal gathering here which was attended by people from various sections of the society.

Distinguished Kashmiri poet, Rehman Rahi, who presided over the brain-storming session revolving round the issues confronting the language, said that there is a need to make Kashmiris aware about importance of their language.

“Although organizations like AMK are doing efforts to promote our mother tongue at the academic level but the main issue is that its ratio of being a spoken language is fading among a section of society. We need to focus on them to help preserve the language,” he said.

Speaker identified this section as neo-rich middle class which they say need to be alerted.

Rahi, who presided over the function, said the politicians should also use Kashmiri as a medium of instruction while delivering speeches in the state assembly.

“We should hold a meeting with the politicians to stress them on using the Kashmiri language while briefing the assembly. There was a time when Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah made Kashmiri language the medium of instruction in the valley,” he said.

He said that apart from speaking the mother language, people have an emotional attachment with it.

“Kashmiri language is our personality and identity. Our children may be speaking other languages with fluency but they are emotionally attached to their mother language,” he said.

Rahi hailed efforts of AMK for striving to make it compulsory for students till 8th standard.

In his speech, Director Doordarshan, Rafiq Masoodi said the people are contributing amply to promote Dogri language but very less people come forward to promote Kashmiri language.

“Member Parliament Madan Lal Sharma contributed 82 lakh rupees for the promotion of Dogri language. In contrast to it our MPs and MLAs seem to be least bothered,” he said.

He said that DD is making serious efforts to promote the mother tongue.

“I as the DD Director do my best to promote Kashmiri. Sometime I fail, sometime I pass but I am making efforts,” he said.

Former, Director DD, Farooq Nazki hailed the presence of people from different walks celebrating the Mother Tongue Day.

He also asked the present director DD to produce Kashmiri programs like the famous Zoon Dab, “so that people wait for watching such programs.”

Prominent writer Dr Farooq Fayaz said that a mother language is either culture specific or knowledge centric.

“Both are equally important for a language but in case of Kashmir language it is mainly culture specific,” he said adding “Sheikh-ul-Alam (RA) and Lal Ded effectively used the cultural aspect of it.”

Noted Kashmiri poet, Zareef Ahmad Zareef also stressed on the need to use Kashmiri language in homes.

“Our children are not able to understand Kashmiri. It should concern all devoid of which section of society one belongs to,” he said.

Editor Srinagar Times Bashir Ahmad Bashir said that implementation of Kashmiri language at the school level is not enough to preserve it. “Before terming it as our mother tongue we need to know whether our mother is able to speak it well,” he said.

Advocate Syed Riyaz Khawar said that as per UN resolutions it is an International crime if people are forced to forget their mother tongue.

“International laws give us right to promote it. We can compel the government to enforce the language at any level,” he informed.

Speaking on eh subject, writer Mushtaq Ahmad Mushtaq asked valey-based industrialists to come up with channels like ETV-Urdu for promoting Kashmiri.

President FCIK, Shakeel Qalandar said that Kashmiri language continues to remain a medium of instruction in industrial units here in the valley which can’t be replaced easily.

Senior Journalist and General Secretary Adbee Markaz, Syed Shujaat Bukhari who moderated the proceedings said that besides holding meetings and seminars, AMK has also taken the initiative through web.

“The site amkamraz.org is there from many years with latest updates and information regarding the Kashmiri language and other related things,” he said.

President Actors Creative Theatre, Mushtaque Ali Khan, Social Activist Irshad Ahmad Shah, Journalist, Raashid Maqbool, Actor Ayash Arif, Academician Iqbal Nazki, Businessman Anwar Ashai also spoke on the occasion.

Journalist, Hakeem Ghulam Jeelani, Broadcaster Maqsood Ahmad, Former Principal Government College of Women Nusrat Andrabi, Syed Akhter Rasool Rukhsana Jabeen were also present at the gathering.