The Punjab Assembly today unanimously passed the Punjab Official
Languages' (Amendment) Bill-2008 making use of Punjabi mandatory in all
official functioning.
The Assembly also passed the Punjab
Learning of Punjabi and other Languages' Bill that makes study of Punjabi
compulsory till class X in all schools of the state.
The Punjab Official Language (Amendment)
Bill drew praise from the House even though there were attempts by
Congress legislator Ajitinder Singh Mofar to revive discussion on the
transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab as well as transfer of Punjabi-speaking
areas while speaking on a point of order.
Congress legislator Sukhpal Singh Khair
took out the 1981 enumeration status report to claim that the BJP was
behind the move under which many people had registered their language as
Hindi and not Punjabi.
The SAD-BJP, however, snubbed discussion
on both issues. Two important interventions on the Bill were that of
finance minister Manpreet Badal and Congress legislator Makhan Singh. The
finance minister said there had been a deliberate attempt by invaders to
foist Urdu in the region. Makhan Singh said there was a time when
languages were clubbed with religion, but the Bill made it clear this was
not so. He urged education minister Upinderjit Kaur to include
representatives from the Punjabi Lekhak Sabha in the committee being
formed to monitor implementation of the Bill.
Upinderjit Kaur, on the suggestions of
the members, moved a proposal that the state Advocate-General as well as
two Punjabi writers, two representatives of recognised Sahit Sabhas and
three from the press be included in the committee. These suggestions were
approved by the House.
BACK TO APNA WEB PAGE
