Sikhs Secure Punjabi Language

http://www.{censored}/news.php?news=9143


The Punjab Assembly today unanimously passed two resolutions, seeking second language status for Punjabi language in states having significant Sikh population and restoring employee’s ratio in Union Territory of Chandigarh.

Nine states have been identified Jamu and Kashmir, Himachpardes, Utrakhand, UP, Rajistan, West Bangol, Orrisa, Madhyapardes and Maharashtra.

This is a historic and welcomed move, Punjabi is a language that needs to be preserved especially in educational institutes. The efforts of the Punjab Assembly are to be applauded” said Jaspal Singh Bains of the EMG Online.

A week after the Assembly passed a resolution seeking second language status for Punjabi in Chandigarh, the House showing rare unanimity again passed two resolutions concerning Punjabi language and ratio of employees from the state in Chandigarh.

Education Minister Upinderjit Kaur moved the resolution seeking second language status for Punjabi language in other states having considerable size of Sikh population.

]"Punjabi is an identity of Punjab and its people," the Minister said in the Assembly while expressing resentment over the language not getting due prominence in other states despite having large Sikh population

A delegation of literary people and politicians Tuesday submitted a memorandum to Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil seeking first language status for Punjabi in this union territory (UT).

The delegation, led by state Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, also urged Patil, who is also the Chandigarh administrator, to declare Punjabi as a compulsory subject up to Class 10 in all schools in Chandigarh.[/SIZE]


'We have submitted a copy of the resolution that was passed by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha yesterday (Monday). We have demanded to implement Punjabi as the official language in all government offices, boards, corporations and lower courts in Chandigarh,' Punjab Languages and Education Minister Upinderjit Kaur told reporters.


She added: 'We have no problem with the medium of schools but we want to declare Punjabi as a compulsory subject in all schools till Class 10.'

The Punjab assembly Monday unanimously passed a resolution that Punjabi should be accorded first language status in Chandigarh.

The centrally administered city of Chandigarh is the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.


Members of the state Language Advisory Board had also accompanied the delegation of nearly 30 people to Punjab Raj Bhavan, the official residence of the governor.

'We have also demanded setting up of Punjabi Literary Academy in Chandigarh for the enrichment of Punjabi literature and culture. All important sign-boards and nameplates of government offices should be displayed in Punjabi language,' Kaur said.[

Kaur said the legislators would also urge Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to secure second language status for Punjabi in other states where significant number of Punjabi people live.

Hopefully with this, Punjabi may be a ble to spread to the people of these other Indian states.

Dear Gurmukho,

Chandigarh was built upon Punjabi land after uprooting dozens of Punjabi villages.Despite, other states being divided upon clearly vernacular language lines, as Andhra, Tamilnadu and Karnatka,the Punjab was denied the same.Thus the Morcha of 1955 had to be launched.Systematically side lining the Sikhs and ridiculously associating the over 10 centuries old Punjabi language of the THE PUNJAB with the Sikhs alone, isolated them,while the hindu segment suddenly found a newly adopted, and yet unmatured hindi as their mother tongue within the land of Five rivers.

The painful and severe trials and tribulations the people of Punjab had to undergo to get a simple recognition of their own language is not beyond the imagination of any sensible citizen.

A small and truncated Punjabi speaking Punjab was offered, with many strings attached, that are still rotting bones of serious contention and disagreement to this day.

In the notoriously back stabbed; rajiv Longowal accord , after much destruction, Chandigarh was promised, but like a bitchy and unfaithful deranged lover becomes;this turned out to be a pandoras box of broken promises, yet again.Suddenly, those insincere and mallicious elements have turned the Punjabi city of Chanddigarh into a hindi majority speaking territory.Now Punjabis are left to pass resolutions to "demand" Punjabi be restored it's rightful place just within Chandigarh.

I hope this is simply not another paper excercise made to look attractive for political milage only.

One great Punjabi poet of yester years, Ferozedin Sharaf praising the language of the Punjab writes..Fullaa'n wicho'n, Ful Gulab NI sayiio,desaa'n wicho'n des Punjab ni sayiio.., The best of the flowers is the Rose petal,the best of the nations' is the Punjab.

But the sad destruction of 1947 and then 1984, makes me recall another of his poetry lines...

Satluj, Beas, te Jhelum, Chenab di gal,
Ravi kare hon kehrre Punjab di gal,
pati- pati waloondhri gayi usdi
Sharaf karda si
jis Punjab di gal.

[satluj, beas, and Jhelum, the mention of the Chenab, Ravi may talk of which Punjab now,each bit, lane by lane has been hurt badly,of the Punjab that Sharaf speaks about].



May I end, saying ...

Mithi hai Punjabi, Mithe ehde bol ne,kanaa wich maakhio'n ,jehi jive'n dende ghol ne,
jis ne wi dillo'n maa boli nu piaaria, sharda umangaa'n nal shingariya,
Usde Mukadraa'n de buhe dete khol ne, mithi hai Punjabi, mithe ehde bol ne//

[[Sweet is Punjabi,sweetness in it's words, like bees buzing sweetly to [honey][the ears],
whoever sincerely loved the mother tongue, with pride and hopes of glory for it, his/ her destiny opens up,sweet is Punjabi and sweetness lies in it's words..]]