Demand rollback of Urdu clause for Naib Tehsildar post, highlight displacement and pending sports quota list
Diplomat Correspondent
Srinagar,(DD)A high-level delegation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), comprising 14 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), met with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at his Srinagar office to express concerns over several key administrative issues affecting the people of Jammu & Kashmir.
Led by BJP National Secretary Dr Narinder Singh, the delegation included Vice-Presidents Sham Lal Sharma, Yudhvir Sethi, and Shakti Parihar, General Secretary Dr D.K. Manyal, and MLAs Chander Prakash Ganga, B.S. Mankotia, Pawan Gupta, Vikram Randhawa, Prof. Gharu Ram, Baldev Sharma, Satish Sharma, Dr Sunil Bhardwaj, and Surinder Bhagat.
Foremost among the issues raised was the controversial advertisement making Urdu a compulsory qualification for the post of Naib Tehsildar. The BJP leaders strongly opposed this criterion, calling it “regressive” and “discriminatory”, particularly against youth from the Jammu region who have not stu2died Urdu. They argued that this move contradicts the spirit of linguistic diversity upheld by the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020, which recognises Hindi, Dogri, English, Urdu, and Kashmiri as official languages.
The delegation urged the Chief Minister to withdraw the advertisement and issue a revised notification, similar to the 2011 precedent during his previous tenure. The Chief Minister responded affirmatively and assured the matter would be reviewed positively.
The BJP MLAs also raised the issue of displacement of shopkeepers from Nai Basti, affected by the ongoing highway and flyover expansion project. Emphasising the hardship faced by affected families, they called for immediate rehabilitation measures. The Chief Minister instructed the Principal Secretary to prioritise the matter.
In addition, the delegation demanded the release of the long-pending selection list under the sportsman quota, stressing the importance of recognising local athletes who have brought honour to the Union Territory.
Reiterating their commitment to public welfare, the BJP leaders pledged to continue advocating for fair governance, inclusive policies, and justice through democratic and constructive engagement(DD)
