DOGRA HERALD BUREAU
JAMMU, June 22
Kavinder Gupta, Senior BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, has urged the Central Government to take necessary steps to launch Duggar satellite channelin Jammu region. The proposed channel aims to promote, protect, and develop the rich culture, heritage, and languages of the Duggar region.
Kavinder made this appeal following a meeting with a delegation from the Doordarshan Approved Drama Artists Association (DADAA) in Jammu today. The delegation, led by J.S. Babli, President of DADAA, presented a memorandum outlining their longstanding demands.
J.S Babli apprised the senior BJP leader that the primary objective of the Duggar Channel is to safeguard the cultural heritage and languages of the Duggar region while also generating employment opportunities. He highlighted that over one crore Dogri-speaking people reside across areas including Mirpur, Bhimber, Bag, Sialkot, and Shakargarh in Pakistan, as well as Gurdaspur, Pathankot, and Hoshiarpur in Punjab, and parts of Himachal Pradesh.
Babli also noted that Jammu’s proximity to the International Border and Line of Control makes it an ideal location for propagating and promoting the Government of India’s policies.
Addressing the delegation, the former deputy Chief Minister reflected on the efforts of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, under whose leadership Dogri was included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. He stressed the importance of continuing these efforts to ensure that the younger generation learns and appreciates their regional language.
“When you visit other states, you observe people proudly speaking their regional languages.
It is crucial that we also focus on raising awareness, especially among the youth, about the importance of our regional language,” he said.
Kavinder questioned why, despite the Central Government granting two AIIMS and two Central Universities to Jammu and Kashmir, there are not two local channels as well. “When J&K has already Kashir Channel, then the demand for a Duggar Satellite Channel should also be considered,” he asserted.
The former Deputy Chief Minister assured the Doordarshan artists that he would take up their concerns with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in Delhi. He committed to making all possible efforts to establish the Duggar Channel in Jammu region, thereby promoting the region’s rich cultural heritage.
