Sinha exhorts children to converse in Kashmiri

Srinagar, Sep 23 (UNI) Dismayed over minimal use of mother tongue in family conversations, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Lt Gen (Retd) S K Sinha made a passionate appeal to parents to encourage their children to converse in Kashmiri.

Interacting with a group of scout children at Raj Bhavan, General Sinha said he failed to understand why people prefered to speak to their children in languages other than their mother tongue.

''In Kashmir too this trend is fast picking up,'' he added while speaking two sentences in Kashmiri.

In this context, he quoted Mahatma Gandhi saying ''I want to keep windows of my mind open for fresh breeze but I also want to keep my feet firmly planted in home soil.'' He described Kashmiri as a sweet language and hoped it will get prominence during day to day conversations.

However, he did not undermine the importance of other languages, particularly English, emphasizing that learning this language is pivotal for keeping pace with in this competitive world.

General Sinha lauded the role of scouts and girl guides during emergencies and imbibing the spirit of camaraderie among youth and said this has now emerged as a global movement.

The Governor referred to the great role of scouts and girl guides during natural calamities and road accidents, saying that more people had been dying in the state due to road accidents than terrorist violence. He suggested the Chief Minister and the Health Minister to set up Medical Aid Posts on the National Highway.

The Governor later distributed Rajya Puraskar awards among the scouts and girl guides.

UNI BAS SAM BS1255