CHANDIGARH: Dal Khalsa has appreciated the move of the Punjab assembly to make teaching of Punjabi in schools – affiliated with any board till matriculation and use of Punjabi language in all government work mandatory throughout the state.

In a statement the party general secretary Kanwar pal Singh said the step taken by the Punjab legislators was significant as it was a long standing demand of all Punjabis.

He alleged that a large section of bureaucracy and Hindutva forces (BJP) were main hurdles in implementing the Punjabi language in the past.

He observed that apart from legislation a political will was needed to ensure that bureaucracy doesn't play the role of a spoilsport in future.

He said the present Punjab was carved out on the linguistic basis in 1966. Ironically, 42 years has passed and all successive governments have bitterly failed to accord the Punjabi language its due status. 

'Earlier also the orders for compulsory use of Punjabi in official work were issued, but due to powerful anti-Punjabi lobby within the establishment , the orders were never implemented, he claimed.

The proposed legislation must have provisions to sternly punish those who dare to violate the law, he added.