The Punjab Vidhan Sabha today passed a unanimous resolution for giving priority to Punjabi language and making it mandatory for all government and non-government schools to teach Punjabi till Class X.
The resolution in this regard was moved by Technical Education Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. The resolution passed in the Vidhan Sabha also said all government and non-government institutions in Punjab would have signboards written in Punjabi.
It has also been resolved that anyone who works against the promotion of the native language will have to face the music.
Initiating the debate, the minister said Punjabi was spoken in 150 countries. “Despite this, only those who speak English are considered educated in the state. The cuckoo sings its own tune and is free and happy. On the other hand, parrot parrots others’ voice, so it is trapped in a cage,” Channi said, emphasising the importance of teaching and speaking Punjabi.
He said as a first step, he had already started getting all books to be used in institutions under the Technical Education Department translated in Punjabi.
The minister said even in Chandigarh, Punjabi should be declared as the official language. He recommended that all officers and officials, who did not work in Punjabi, should be referred to a new commission. He also said other than Punjab, the states carved out of Punjab i.e. Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, too, should promote Punjabi language.
SAD leader Sharanjit Singh Dhillon said convent schools in the state should be asked to implement this decision. Simarjit Singh Bains of the Lok Insaaf Party said the PPSC and PSPCL should be asked to take exams for recruitment in Punjabi.
AAP’s Kultar Sandhwan too chipped in, saying that his party had been insisting on use of Punjabi in the House for long.
“Next time, if the Governor or the Chief Minister gives their speech in English, our party would boycott their speech in the House. Let us all make a beginning and start signing in Punjabi language,” he said. He recommended that all court work in Punjab too should be conducted in Punjabi. This suggestion was included in the resolution.