Gujjars meet VC Jammu Varsity, demand introduction of separate Gojri deptt

Jammu: Demanding immediate steps to establish “Gojri Department ” in the University of Jammu, the Gujjars- a main Scheduled Tribe community of J&K Thursday pleaded to implement the decision of JU’s Council meeting held in 2008, in presence of Chancellor –the Governor and Pro-Chancellor –the Chief Minister, in which a full-fledge Research Centre was approved for the development of Gojri Language. The Community also demanded to establish a similar centre in Kashmir University.
Raising the issue with Vice-Chancellor of Jammu University Prof. Manoj Dhar during a meeting held in his chamber Thursday, Dr Javaid Rahi noted tribal researcher and founder of Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation- a community-supported organization said that “In 2008, a decision in this regard was taken in the JU Council meeting in the presence of the then governor, who is also the Chancellor of Jammu University and Chief Minister, but after laps 12 years, the Gojri department is nowhere on the ground”. He , on behalf of Gujjar the community demanded that the said ‘approved Gojri Research Center’ /department may be established in Jammu University camps instead Poonch camps of JU as Gujjars are scattered in the entire Jammu region. He said Gojri is the second largest language of Jammu region and it deserves separate Gojri department on merit. He said that with the establishment department the tribal art, culture, tradition, language, the custom of Gujjars-Bakerwal Scheduled Tribe community could be persevered for all generations to come. During the meeting the VC was informed that Gujjars, Bakerwals and other ‘Gojri’ speaking groups demanding the establishment of “Gojri department” on the pattern of ‘Dogri’ and ‘Kashmiri’ departments in the universities.
The meeting was further informed that the tribal language ‘Gojri’ has a rich folk and modern literature, oral-lore, linguistic linage spoken by 3 million people in Jammu and Kashmir which constitute 20 to 25% population of UT.It added that ‘Gojri’ has been recognized as a regional language in erstwhile state and listed in the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir and is taught in schools besides universities. The Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Sahitya Akadami-India’s National Academy of letters, Central Institute of Indian Languages Mysore , Union Ministry of Education have recognized ‘Gojri’ as an independent literary language. The first glossary of ‘Gojri’ the language was published in the year 1901 by Oxford University.Amir Khusrow –a scholar of Persian of 13 century has made mention of Gojri as one among 12 languages of India of his time , he said. All these facts bear a testimony to the strength and scope of this language to be included in the university curriculum.