Memorandum by Dogri Sangharsh Morcha, Jammu dated July 6, 1992 for inclusion of Dogri Language in the VIII Schedule of the Constitution of India.

Appendix B

(Memorandum by Dogri Sangharsh Morcha, Jammu dated July 6, 1992 for inclusion of Dogri Language in the VIII Schedule of the Constitution of India.) 

The Hon'ble Prime Minister

Home Minister

Members of the Union Cabinet, Members of Parliament, and

Leaders of Political Parties. 

We, the members of the Dogri Sangharsh Morcha, were happy to know from the press reports that your Government has decided to include Nepali, Konkani and Manipuri languages in the VIII Schedule of the country's Constitution. But it is most surprising and shocking that the decades old demand of 50 lakh Dogras for the same seems to have been overlooked. 

We crave your indulgence to consider the following points which justify our legitimate demand: 

1. Dogri language has already been recognised as one of the official languages of Jammu and Kashmir in the State's Constitution along with Urdu, Kashmiri and Ladakhi.

2. Dogri is not only spoken by the people of Jammu region but also a sizable population of the present Himachal Pradesh and Punjab

3. Dogri has since 1969 been recognised by the Sahitya Akademi which has already honoured 22 of its literateurs, thereby recognizing the rich literary heritage of. the Dogras.

4 Dogri culture and rich art heritage are reflected in the Basohh and Kangra schools of Miniature Paintings and Terracottas of Ambaran (Akhnoor) which are famous and are found in museums all over the world.

5. Dogri language has its own grammar, dictionary and books on its own history.

6. It was recognition of the impact and reach of Dogri language over a vast area that the Government of India thought it fit to start news bulletins in this language from All India Radio immediately after Pakistan's attack on J&K State in 1947.

7. Dogri is being taught in the State of Jammu and Kashmir at Secondary and Senior Secondary School level, and up to Post Graduate level at the Jammu University.

8. The Dogras have sacrificed their lives and property for the defence of India. The Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) and Dogra Regiments of the Indian Army have brought glory to the country, have proved their bravery and chivalry in the two World Wars and the four Wars free India had to fight in 1947, 1962, 1965 and 1971.

9. It is the Dogri speaking region which has had to bear the brunt of these wars. Thousands of refugees from Pakistani Punjab and the Pak-Occupied areas of the State have been accommodated in the Jammu region. Even the Dogra refugees from the Chhamb Sector (handed over to Pakistan after 1971 war) have also poured into Jammu and are still awaiting rehabilitation.

10. In return for all their sacrifices, all that the Dogras demand is the fulfilment of their foremost democratic aspiration-the preservation and promotion of their linguistic and cultural identity. This can only be done by acceding to their most legitimate demand of accepting their language, Dogri, as a national language at par with the others included in the VIII Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

11. Over the years many Private Members' Bills have been moved, questions raised and special mentions made in both the Houses of Parliament for including Dogri in the VIII Schedule of the Constitution.

12. The Dogri Sangharsh Morcha, spearheading the movement for inclusion of Dogri in the VIII Schedule, had presented a Memorandum to the Governor of Jammu & Kashmir on 12 May 1992, who promised to recommend Dogri's case to the Central Government. We have sent Memoranda to the Hon'ble Prime Minister, Hon'ble Home Minister and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs on 5 June 1992, copies of the Memoranda have also been sent to the heads of all the Political Parties in India. Dr. Karan Singh has written to the Prime Minister strongly supporting the demand. 

India is a land of varied languages and cultures. All languages and cultures of this vast land of ours are equally important and respectable, and deserve to be accorded equal status. Now when Manipuri, Konkani and Nepali are being considered for inclusion in the VIII Schedule of the Constitution, it will be gross injustice to deny the Dogri language its due place. In the interest of the culture of the Dogri speaking people and in the larger interest of the Union of India, therefore, we request for the inclusion of Dogri language in the VIII Schedule of the Constitution of India in the forthcoming Session of the Parliament, along with other deserving languages.