‘Children shouldn’t hesitate to speak in Kashmiri language’

Srinagar, Dec 12: The Minister for Education Sakeena Itoo on Thursday expressed concern over the children hesitating in speaking in Kashmiri language saying that the government was already working on promotion of Kashmiri language.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of Kashmir University’s Annual Youth Festival- Sonzal-2024, the education minister said the every Kashmiri should speak in Kashmiri language.

"As education minister, I think our Kashmiri subject should be expanded, and the children should be given training and education about the Kashmiri language, so that they can understand this language and know about its history and importance," the education minister said.

She said the people she meets rarely speak in Kashmiri language and they have forgotten their mother tongue.

"When I see around me and in our homes, the children who are studying, or the degree holders, they are not able to speak in Kashmiri language. It becomes difficult for them. At times when our elders or our parents speak in Kashmiri, they kids do not understand. We have to explain it to them in Urdu or English," she said.

The minister said the people particularly the youth in the last 20 years have gone through difficult times and have suffered a lot and gone into depression.

"So the inter university and inter college programs like Sonzal festival should be organised so that the children who have faced difficulties in life can enjoy these programs and move forward," she said.

About the functioning of the elected government, the education minister said the elected government was working smoothly. "Since the beginning, our government under the leadership of Omar Abdullah, in the last one and a half or two months, the work that we have done, the decisions that we have taken, people have appreciated them a lot," she said.

She said the people spreading rumours regarding issues with the government must be getting the answers by witnessing our work.

"The decisions that we have taken have been implemented," she said.