Srinagar: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader Waheed Para on Tuesday hit out at the BJP alleging that the saffron party’s attempt to view Urdu through a communal lens marks a dangerous low in the political discourse of Jammu and Kashmir.
Para was responding to the BJP welcoming on Monday the decision of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) staying the state government order which made Urdu mandatory for applying to the post of Naib Tehsildar in the Union Territory.
“The BJP’s attempt to view Urdu through a communal lens marks a dangerous and disgraceful new low in our political discourse in J&K. Urdu is not a symbol of any religion but the throbbing pulse of Jammu & Kashmir’s identity, echoing collective memories and soulful struggles of our people over centuries. It is the language of poets, courts, revenue offices, administration & everyday life here,” Para said in a post on X.
He also criticised the CAT’s order.
“Even more disturbing is the CAT’s order staying the requirement of basic Urdu knowledge for the Naib Tehsildar exam is a signal that judicial forums too are beginning to cave under political pressure. BJP’s protests appear to be shaping institutional responses, which is an alarming trend in any democracy,” he added.
The MLA from Pulwama said Urdu is an embodiment of J&K’s shared heritage and needs to be preserved. “Urdu must be preserved, not just as a language but as an embodiment of our shared heritage, administrative continuity & cultural essence that binds every region of J&K together,” he added.
