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Intellectuals join heads to mull
ways to promote Punjabi language
WSN Bureau
 JALANDHAR: An
all party meeting convened in Jalandhar aimed at retrieving the
increasingly lost space for mother-tongue Punjabi in Punjab itself
stressed on working towards creating awareness about the issue among
the general public and help build up an environment for all around
pro-people development in which a locally spoken language can
achieve its full potential.
Organised by the
Punjab Jagriti Manch at the local press club here, the all party
meeting witnessed participation by many pro-Punjabi leaders.
Most
participants were in agreement that the primary education in all
school in Punjab should be in the medium of Punjabi. Coordinating
the conclave, Satnam Singh Manak, a well known journalist associated
for long years with Ajit newspaper and a strong advocate of Punjabi
language, said while all political parties had come together to get
passed the legislation to accord the Punjabi language its due
status, the bureaucracy in Punjab was resisting the efforts.
Manch president
Piara Singh Bhogal said he was not against the teaching of English
language but educationists across the world wre unanimous in their
view that the mother tongue is the best medium at primary level.
 Punjab Mandi
Board chairman Ajmer Singh Lakhowal said he will accord all
cooperation to any efforts by the Manch in favour of Punjabi
language.
Punjab Congress
president Mohinder Singh Kaypee said what was required was the need
to clear all doubts about language issue and said his party will
extend a helping hand in efforts to raise acceptability levels of
Punjabi.
Lok Bhalai Party
president Balwant Singh Ramoowalia said unless and until the people
of the state hold out a tangible threat of denial of votes to any
party that does not espouse the cause of Punjabi, politicians will
only pay lip service and will do nothing for the amelioration of the
language that is languishing among its own people.
BJP's Vijay
Sampla said the need was to change the mentality that had opposed
the usage of Punjabi language in the past. CPI(M) leader Mangat Ram
Pasla and CPI-ML leader Darshan Singh Khatkar said the ruling
classes have historically maintained a distance from the people
through use of language as a tool. Comrade Jagroop Singh of the CPI
said the government must take the initiative to implement the Act
regarding the use of Punjabi language.
Jatinder Pannu
cautioned about the efforts by some Punjabi intellectuals to distort
the usage of Punjabi language.
Kendri Punjabi
Lekhak Sangh's vice president Karnail Singh Nijher said a permanent
tribunal should be set up to oversee the implementation of the
Punjabi language Act.
A large number
of activists, writers, intellectuals and journalists participated in
the discussions.
30
September 2009
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