Srinagar, Aug 7: A Sikh body today threatened to stage protests across Jammu and Kashmir if the Omar Abdullah government failed to fill vacant posts for Punjabi language teachers in public schools.
 The Education minister had assured a Sikh delegation consisting of renowned writers, prominent educationists and political parties that the appointment of Punjabi teachers would be made soon, but nothing had happened so far, All Parties Sikh Coordination Committee chairman, Jagmohan Singh Raina said in a statement. 
 The posts are lying vacant at Amira Kadal Girls Higher secondary school, S P Higher secondary school, Achabal school, Islamabad (Anantnag) Boys Higher Secondary School, Tral Higher Secondary School and at others schools, he said.
 “This has forced the students to take other subject instead of Punjabi,” Jagmohan Singh Raina said adding although the Punjabi was recognized by the constitution of J&K and was the oldest language of state, but some vested interests want this language to die a slow death in Kashmir.
 He said the promotion lists for other subjects were released at regular intervals, but there were no promotions for 10+2 lecturers in Punjabi department, which shows the indifferent attitude of the State government.
 “Although the Government of India, Ministry of Human Resources have sanctioned 250 fully funded posts of Punjabi teachers in J&K in last three years under the scheme Promotions of Regional Languages, but they are still lying vacant and nobody is bothered about it,” Jagmohan Singh Raina added.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 7 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 7 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 8 Aug 2011 00:00:00 IST