Colonel SS Pathania of Sainik Samaj Party Supports DADAA’s Movement for Duggar Channel

Jammu, 29-06-2024 : Colonel SS Pathania, President of the Sainik Samaj Party, expressed unequivocal support for DADAA (Doordarshan Approved Drama Artists Association) in their advocacy for the Duggar Channel. During a recent interaction, Pathania, alongside DADAA’s delegation including President JS Babli, Vice President Madan Rangila, and Spokesperson Janak Khajuria, lauded their efforts and unwavering determination. He commended their initiatives, such as organizing signature campaigns, engaging with social organizations, NGOs, and political leaders to garner consensus on establishing a 24/7 satellite channel, the Duggar Channel.

Pathania emphasized the importance of this channel, highlighting the significant infrastructure investments made in creating a state-of-the-art studio and staff quarters, despite its current non-functional status. The Duggar Channel aims not only to promote local art and culture but also to provide a platform for talented youth to showcase their skills in Dogri, Punjabi, and Gojri languages. Additionally, it aims to counter Pakistani propaganda effectively in Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK), where languages like Dogri, Punjabi, and Pahari are well understood, unlike Kashmiri.

During discussions, it was revealed that in a meeting of the Prasar Bharati Board on February 14, 2014, preliminary approval was granted to upgrade temporary channels to 24/7 channels in states like Jharkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, and the Jammu region. However, despite nine years having passed since then, only Jammu among these regions remains without a round-the-clock channel, operating with a minimal staff of 10 employees instead of the required 100.

Pathania called upon the people of the Jammu region to rally behind DADAA and other organizations advocating for a 24/7 HD satellite channel. He urged leaders of various political parties and elected Members of Parliament to clarify their stance on this just demand. He emphasized that it is time to end the long-standing neglect of the Jammu region and ensure justice for its people, who have been deprived for the past 76 years.