News Desk, Dec. 18: Purig Cultural and Literary Society (PCLS) Kargil, Ladakh demanded to recognize and use the word “Ladakhi” only for the language spoken across Ladakh and not by any other name which could limit its scope of being a language having wider acceptability.

The PCLS members made the statement during a press conference today in Kargil which was joined by Taqi Khan Nayab (poet), Sajjad Ali Shujaat (poet), Abass Yawar (theatre artist), Haji Mohd Ali Butto (poet), and Ahmad Ali Olpa (poet).

It is wrongly declared by a section of people with vested interests that “Bhoti” is the language of the whole Union Territory of Ladakh and it’s is being demanded to include in the 8th Schedule of Indian Constitution with the same self-styled nomenclature, stated the PCLS in a press release. “We want to make it clear that Ladakh’s linguistic History proves no such Nomenclature of our language”, the press release added.

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The major languages that are spoken in Ladakh are Purigi, Leh-skad, Sham-skat, Stod-Skad, Chang-Skad, Balti and Sheena etc. Purigi and Leh skad are major Languages of UT Ladakh. Historically, Purgi, Lehskad and Balti are different branches of Old Tibetic Language. We firmly believe that all these spoken languages must be given equal opportunity and respect to flourish in the larger interest, the presser maintained.

“If we refer to the Census 2001, there was no such language by the name “Bhoti” in Ladakh. However, “Ladakhi” is referred to as spoken by a major section of the population in census 2001. Later the term “Bhoti” clandestinely came to the picture in census 2011 which had political motives to distort the linguistic history of the region for vested interests”, alleged Sajjad Ali Shujaat.

A narrative is being developed that the name “Bhoti” is derived from the last name the ancient Scholar Thunmi Sambhota as a mark of remembering his legacy for devising the PodYig script. Here, we want to clear that if Sambhota had developed the script from the old Gupta-Nagri and Pali Script, then how come a language be named after his personal attribution as history proves that he did not develop the language itself.

Nonetheless, the script is claimed to be used in most of the Himalayan States for many other languages, which doesn’t mean that they are all speakers of the same language but script users only.

Currently, only Leh skad is being written in e-Gay script due to religious and linguistic affinities and close proximity with the Tibetan Language and religion. Whereas, Purgi and Balti are mostly written in Persio-Arabic Script due to the huge influence of socio religious transformations. But all the three are linguistic branches of the same Old Tibetan Language.

Thus, we propose that the speakers of the language should have the liberty to use bi-Script that’s both e-Gay as well as Persio-Arabic for written communication.

Owing to the Socio Historical Unifying Character we strongly appeal and request the UT Administration and the Central Government, to recognize and use the word “Ladakhi” only for the language spoken across Ladakh and not by any other name which could limit its scope of being a language having wider acceptability.