On Tuesday, hundreds of students led by the ABVP protested in Jammu against what they see as unfair treatment of Hindi and Sanskrit by the Jammu and Kashmir government. They blocked the main Tawi bridge on the highway during their protest.
The students accused the National Conference-led government of ignoring Hindi and Sanskrit in a recent job announcement by the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) for 10+2 Lecturer positions. They claimed that the government is favoring foreign languages like Arabic and Persian, which were included in the recruitment notice.
Carrying signs and chanting slogans, the protesters marched from Jammu University through the city, calling this issue “regional and linguistic discrimination.”
ABVP leader Surinder Singh said, “This government is ignoring national languages like Hindi and Sanskrit, which are part of our identity.” He added that they are not against any language but believe the government’s preference for Arabic and Persian over Hindi and Sanskrit is intentional and harmful to their culture.
Another ABVP leader, Anita Devi, stated, “This is not just about jobs; it’s about protecting our cultural identity.”
The students were upset because the JKPSC’s notice on November 12 did not include lecturer posts for Hindi and Sanskrit, even though it advertised 575 other teaching positions.
One protester blamed Education Minister Sakina too and warned the Omar Abdullah-led government that students in Jammu would not accept this quietly. They criticized the government’s policies as being too focused on Kashmir.
Some protesting students were arrested, and police tried to persuade them to end the blockade. Many protesters were detained.
The BJP and several Jammu-based groups have also criticized the government’s actions. BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa said the NC government is pushing Kashmir-focused policies and ignoring the needs of Jammu’s youth. He urged the JKPSC to add 200 posts for Hindi and at least 20 each for Dogri, Punjabi, and Sanskrit to ensure fair representation for regional languages.
