Srinagar, Oct 19: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene for the revival and strengthening of Jammu and Kashmir’s cultural sector, seeking dedicated funding for local programming on Doordarshan and Akashvani, particularly DD Kashir.
In a letter to Shah, Mehbooba called for sustained institutional support for the region’s artists, musicians, writers, filmmakers and other cultural practitioners, stressing the need to preserve Jammu and Kashmir’s rich artistic and cultural heritage.
She said artists were not merely performers but custodians of the region’s heritage and cultural ambassadors who contribute to India’s composite cultural identity, peace and national integration.
Mehbooba sought adequate and dedicated funding to enable DD Kashir and Akashvani Kendras to regularly commission and broadcast quality programmes showcasing local languages, folk traditions, music, literature, theatre and cinema.
She also urged the Union Ministry of Culture and other central cultural institutions to introduce special programmes and financial initiatives to create sustained opportunities and ensure dignified livelihoods for local artists.
“Supporting our artists and strengthening our cultural institutions is not merely a cultural responsibility; it is an investment in India’s cultural unity, national integration and the preservation of our rich civilisational heritage,” she wrote.
Mehbooba has also forwarded copies of the letter to the Union Ministers for Information and Broadcasting and Culture, seeking coordinated intervention to strengthen cultural institutions and ensure that Jammu and Kashmir’s artists receive greater recognition, resources and platforms to showcase their work.
