Srinagar, 1 July (H.S.): Senior leaders and party cadre of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Jammu & Kashmir, today held a strong protest demonstration expressing deep resentment over the recent Government decision to make Urdu language compulsory for the newly advertised Naib Tehsildar posts.

The protest, held at Dr B R Ambedkar Chowk (Panama Chowk), Jammu, saw widespread participation from six organizational districts. BJP charged the Government with regional and linguistic discrimination, warning that such moves were reminiscent of the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference (NC) Government’s biased and Kashmir-centric policies, which persistently ignored the interests of Jammu and its youth.

Former Deputy CM Kavinder Gupta denounced the Government move and alleged that making Urdu mandatory reflects the same divisive policies which Omar Abdullah’s Government propagated during its earlier tenures.

DDC Chairman Bharat Bhushan asserted that the Government must immediately reconsider this decision. It is unacceptable that the majority of youth of Jammu & Kashmir are being forcibly deprived of the Government job due to the Urdu language,’ he said.

MLA Arvind Gupta added, “This is a violation of the principles of equity and meritocracy. Recruitment should be based on competence, not language-based exclusion.”

MLA Prof Gharu Ram Bhagat said that the language condition is unfair and unconstitutional.

MLA Ch Vikram Randhawa warned the administration, saying, “We will not sit quiet if this policy is not scrapped. Our fight will intensify across every district.”

Following the protest, BJP leaders submitted a detailed memorandum to the Divisional Commissioner, demanding immediate withdrawal of the Urdu language criterion for Naib Tehsildar posts, ensuring equitable job opportunities, and respecting the linguistic diversity of the Union Territory.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar