Doda, Feb 01: With the Chenab Times Network, it is first and historic step by the network to promote the local languges in media. The Chenab Times has started the news headlines bulletin in multiple languages of the Chenab Valley.
Talking to media, Chief Editor CT Anzer Ayoob said, “The Chenab Valley has number of languages which are not given importance by the government, as recently the government added five languages in the official Languages Bill, 2020. The Bill is for the inclusion of Kashmiri, Dogri and Hindi in the list of official languages in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, in addition to the existing Urdu and English.”
“The Chenab valley was also neglected when the government passed the ammendment in Jammu and Kashmir Reservation Rules, 2005, which gave reservation to Pahari-speaking population mainly in Rajouri, Poonch, Baramulla (Uri and Boniyar), Kupwara (Karna and Keran) and pockets of Anantnag, Budgam, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Kulgam, Pulwama and Shopian,” he added.
Bhadarwahi is an Indo-Aryan language of the Western Pahari group spoken in the Bhadarwah region of Jammu and Kashmir, India. Variants of its name include Bhaderwahi, Baderwali, Bhadri, Badrohi, Bhadlayi, and Bhadlai. While Sarazi, Sirazi or Siraji, is also an Indo-Aryan language of Jammu and Kashmir, India. It is native to the Saraz region, a hilly area taking up the northern half of Doda district and parts of neighbouring Ramban and Kishtwar districts. There are more than 1.5 lakh speakers of both the languages.
Meanwhile, the Chenab Times also announced that they will soon started news headlines in Kishtwari, Pogli and other important languages of the Chenab Valley.
In a speech on 26th January 2021, SDM Thathri Athar Amin Zargar also hailed the initiative taken by the network. He said, “On one side, where government struggles to preserve languages and here a private media organisation is taking this appreciable initiative on his own way.”
It is pertinent to mention, the members of Chenab Times network are working voluntarily to serve the public and most of the members are already associated with social work. The multilingual headlines initiative was started up with Urdu and Sarazi, where Urdu bulletin voice-over performed by Farid Ahmed Naik and Sarazi by Sadeeq Sarazi. On 25th January, Naeem Ul Haq Wani came with Bhaderwahi headlines bulletin on Chenab Times.
Meanwhile, Marketing Editor CT, Raja Shakeel said, “Demand of Gojri and some other languages also increased but currently due to low-speed Internet and for the stability, we will move forward with the three and in future we will start Kishtwāri, Pogli and Gojri also.”
