Punjab Dy CM leads deputation to Governor, seeks due status for Punjabi language in Chandigarh

By Satinder Bains
CHANDIGARH: People of Punjab Tuesday raised a united voice to give their mother language Punjabi its due status in its own capital, Chandigarh. Deputy Chief Minister  Sukhbir Singh Badal Tuesday led a deputation to meet Governor to get due status for Pufnjabi in Chandigarh.



Deputy Chief Minister  accompanied Education Minister Dr. Upinderjit Kaur,  Sher Singh Ghubaya, MP and Independent MLA  Charanjit Singh Channi representing the collective wishes of total population of Punjab and carrying unanimous resolutions passed by Punjab Vidhan Sabha  marched to Punjab Raj Bhawan, to submit memorandums to Punjab Governor and Administrator Union Territory Chandigarh  Shivraj Patil to accord Punjabi language its due status in Chandigarh and to restore original mandated ratio of 60 percent ratio of Punjab Officers in UT administration.

The delegation also including members of Language Advisory Board led by  Sukhbir Singh Badal passionately put forward to Governor that Punjabi language was victim of official apathy and neglect in its own Capital Chandigarh.

The Governor  Shivraj Patil after patiently listening to the detailed presentation by Deputy Chief Minister and supported by other members of the delegation, assured to do “Justice”. Patil said that he would get the memorandums examined in light of arguments put forward by the delegation and ensure that justice was done to everybody.

Badal pleaded that it was matter of great concern that teaching of Punjabi as a language in Chandigarh schools or its use in official work has been virtually abandoned by the U.T. Administration.  Badal requested Punjab Governor that UT Administration must take pro active steps to enact similar legislations as Punjab had promulgated for compulsory use of Punjabi language in all offices, educational institutes and subordinate courts.

Badal also brought to the notice of Governor that UT Administration since last few years was tinkering with original mandated ratio of 60:40 of Punjab and Haryana employees to the disadvantage of Punjab employees. He said that even Punjab IAS, PCS and IPS officers on deputation to UT Administration have been divested of those all departments that were agreed for Punjab officers in 1966.

While stating that English is universally accepted as a link language and Hindi as national language, he said: “We must give due recognition to both English and Hindi, but not at the cost and status of our mother tongue.” He further added that in pursuance to the unanimous resolutions adopted by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, a collective responsibility on our shoulders has been added to promote our mother tongue Punjabi in the UT Chandigarh and other Punjabi speaking areas. He said that these resolutions adopted by Punjab Vidhan Sabha unanimously reflect the collective will of people of Punjab and it becomes the bounden duty of UT Administration to translate this will into realty by according Punjabi language its due status in the capital of Punjab. 

He further said that the State government had already promulgated two legislations to ensure proper and official use of Punjabi in all the offices and subordinate courts. Besides, it had also been made compulsory for learning and teaching of Punjabi language in all the schools from standard I to X whether run by any Society, Trust, Board, Management or any central school etc.

Badal lamented that at present the Three Language Formula (TLF) is in vogue in many neighboring States that are deliberately ignoring to accord due status to Punjabi language as a second language to which it deserved . This Formula, as enunciated in the National Policy Resolution of 1968 and reiterated in the National Policy on Education 1986, provided Hindi, English and modern Indian language in the Hindi speaking states and Hindi, English and the regional language in the non-Hindi speaking States, he said.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that the Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan and Uttrakhand Governments must provide proper second language status to Punjabi by enacting special legislations as the Punjab state has formulated. They should take up the task of encouraging and patronizing the Punjabi language with renewed zeal to fulfill the aspirations of Punjabi community residing to their states. This would go a long way in promoting the cause of this great language in unity with diversity of India, he added.

Pradip Mehra, Advisor to Administrator,  Ram Niwas, Home Secretary, UT and Mr MP Singh, Secretary to Governor were also present on the occasion.

The delegation also included 24 official and non official members of State Level Language Advisory Board.