Srinagar: A fresh controversy has erupted in Jammu and Kashmir concerning the digitization of land records, with the People's Democratic Party (PDP) accusing the National Conference (NC) government of excluding Urdu from the process. This accusation comes after a prior dispute over the mandatory knowledge of Urdu for Naib Tehsildar recruitments, making Urdu a politically sensitive topic in the region.
PDP legislator Waheed Parra has alleged that the Omar Abdullah-led NC government is digitizing land records exclusively in English, thereby sidelining Urdu, a language historically integral to the region's revenue records. Parra stated that this new round of land record digitization was ordered with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah holding the revenue portfolio. He criticized the decision to carry out the process solely in English, claiming that Urdu, a language deeply embedded in the region's revenue records for generations, is being completely removed.
Parra also raised concerns about a previous land digitization contract awarded to a company before the 2024 government formation. According to Parra, the company scanned land documents across districts but only digitized Srinagar and Jammu in three years, leaving the remaining areas to be rushed by overburdened revenue staff. He questioned the Chief Minister's silence on this matter and the current digitization process. So far, the government has not responded to these allegations.
The issue of Urdu language proficiency has recently sparked controversy in Jammu and Kashmir. Last month, the J&K Services Selection Board's notification making Urdu knowledge mandatory for Naib Tehsildar posts faced strong opposition from the BJP, who considered it discriminatory. The Central Administrative Tribunal's Jammu bench issued an interim order staying the mandatory Urdu clause following a petition. PDP President and former CM Mehbooba Mufti criticized the order, emphasizing Urdu's status as an official language for decades and condemning its "unfair communalization". She highlighted the continued use of Urdu in revenue records and administrative work.
