The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Thursday announced that the party will raise the issue of including Punjabi as one of the official languages in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Union Cabinet had recently approved a Bill to include Kashmiri, Dogri and Hindi as official languages in the newly-created Union Territory.
The Centre’s move of not including Punjabi as one of the official languages has invited sharp criticism from political parties in Punjab, including from the SAD, the BJP’s long-standing alliance partner.
Sukhbir Singh Badal, former Deputy Chief Minister and SAD president, said the party has decided to take up the issue of restoration of Punjabi as an official language in Jammu and Kashmir with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
“Besides, we will take up the issue in Parliament as well,” he said, adding that a decision regarding this was taken at a high-level meeting of the party.
Mr. Badal said there was widespread resentment at the discriminatory manner in which Punjabi had been excluded.
