CM Omar’s statement on Urdu misleading, motivated: BJP

Jammu, Jul 18: Senior BJP leader and J&K state secretary Pawan Sharma has criticised the statement made by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah regarding the use of Urdu in revenue records.

“This move is a clear example of political opportunism, aimed at polarizing the masses rather than addressing the real issues affecting Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had stated, “Even before independence, our revenue records were in Urdu. How will a staff member in the revenue department work if he or she doesn’t know Urdu? Earlier, when officers of Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) and Indian Administrative Service (IAS) used to get appointed, if they didn’t know Urdu, then they were given time to learn basics. I don’t think staff members of the revenue department who don’t know Urdu can be efficient.”

Pawan Sharma accused the Chief Minister of deliberately misleading the public.

“It is true that before independence, revenue records across Northern India – including Jammu and Kashmir -were maintained in Persian or Urdu. However, with time and administrative reforms, most states transitioned to Hindi, English, or local languages. Even in Jammu and Kashmir, the medium of instruction in government schools has shifted entirely to English,” he said.

Sharma alleged that CM Omar’s focus on Urdu in revenue records constituted a selective approach, disregarding the linguistic diversity of Jammu and Kashmir.

“The BJP has consistently advocated for the promotion of all official languages, including Hindi, Sanskrit, and Dogri, integral to the region’s cultural and linguistic heritage. The Chief Minister’s prioritization of Urdu over other languages is hypocritical. This biased approach raises concerns about his commitment to linguistic inclusivity and equality. The people of Jammu and Kashmir deserve better representation and recognition of their linguistic identities,” BJP leader said.

He also criticised CM Omar for, what he said, “having failed to focus on real issues facing the Revenue department.”

“Instead of encouraging the digitisation and modernisation of revenue records, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is resorting to outdated language debates to divert attention,” Pawan Sharma added.