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Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill gets Parliament nod

Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill gets Parliament nod

New Delhi, Sep 23(UNI) A bill to include Kashmiri, Dogri and Hindi as official languages of Jammu and Kashmir in addition to English and Urdu, got Parliament's nod on Wednesday with the Rajya Sabha passing it by a voice vote.

The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill was moved for consideration of the House by Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy.

The Bill had been passed by the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Replying to a discussion on the Bill in the Upper House, the Minister said that the Bill meets the demand of a large section of population in Jammu and Kashmir to declare Kashmiri and Dogri as official languages

'Seventy-four per cent of the population in Jammu and Kashmir speaks Kashmiri and Dogri and the demand has been to declare these two languages as official languages. Their demand was not heard for 70 years. Urdu, which was spoken by 1 per cent of the population, was declared an official language," he said.

He says over 2 cent per speak Hindi.

"Since Hindi is India's official language, we have included Hindi also,' Reddy said.

On the suggestion of the Chairman and some members to encourage Punjabi, Pahadi and Gurjari, the Minister said, 'Punjabi, Pahadi and Gurjari will be promoted. The bill itself provides for this.'

After the Minister's reply, the Bill was passed by the Rajya Sabha by a voice vote.

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