Scholars discuss decline of Kashmir language at cultural seminar in Budgam

Budgam (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], May 24 : JK People's Justice Front (JKPJF) recently organized a cultural seminar titled 'Causes of Decline of Kashmiri language at Khag in Budgam.
The Program was attended by a large number of people, especially youths from different walks of life including scholars & experts in the Kashmiri language.
The chief guest at the event was Bindiya Raina Tikko, a prominent Kashmiri and English poet.
Besides scholars and writers, some cultural personalities were also present at the event, a live musical performance from a star Kashmiri Singer Ishfaq Kawa was also part of this cultural seminar.
The speakers at the event highlighted the importance of the Kashmiri language, the mother tongue of the Kashmiri people cutting across religious lines.
Chairman of JKPJF, Agha Syed Abbas Rizvi, while addressing the gathering, pointed out various causes of the decline of the Kashmiri Language. He said, "A particular ideology induced by foreign hands in Kashmir is the major cause of degradation of the Kashmiri Language. Deliberating on this statement, he said that Salafist ideology which has been exported by our neighbours forcibly is the root cause of decline".
Rizvi said that the advent of Gun culture in Kashmir forced many prominent writers from the Pandit Community to flee from Kashmir is yet another cause of its decline which has spread in the field of art & culture also.
He also highlighted how before 1989, there was unity and brotherhood between different communities and how Pakistani stooges vandalized this culture.
A prominent Social media influencer Munir Dar highlighted that progress of every society & nation lies in the richness of its language, art & culture and if we want to flourish we have to save our mother tongue. He emphasized that the present era is an era of social media and we shall explore it for furthering & strengthening our Kashmiri language.
Chief Guest Bindiya Raina Tikko while addressing the gathering said that she felt privileged when she came to know about this event and she flew from Delhi to take part in this event only to render her services not only to preserve the Kashmiri language but also for its further promotion. She stressed that Kashmiri is part of the scheduled languages, so the need of the hour is to make Kashmir language a compulsory subject at primary and secondary levels of school education to preserve & promote it. She urged the UT government to initiate necessary steps in this regard.
Sajad Maqbool, Research Officer at Kashmiri Academy emphasized holding more such events to uplift the decaying Kashmiri Language.
This Cultural Seminar also had a segment of a quiz competition in the Kashmiri language, in which students from various local schools participated with great enthusiasm. The winners of this competition received a cash prize from the Chief Guest.
The event ended with a musical performance by the star Kashmiri Singer Ishfaq Kawa who entertained the audience and was well appreciated by the gathering.