Assembly passes resolution on mandatory use of Punjabi

Chandigarh, Mar 25 (UNI) The Punjab Assembly today adopted a resolution urging the state government to bring a legislation making mandatory the use of the Punjabi language in all official works of the state government.

The resolution, moved by Education Minister Upinderjit Kaur called for taking action as per the law against any official not giving the language its due status while performing his or her official duties.

The resolution, which was unanimously passed by the House, was made on a calling-attention motion moved by Ajit Inder Singh Mofar (Cong), who said there was resentment amongst the people due to the non-implementation of the language in offices. He urged the Minister to bring a resolution so that the language gets its due status.

Prior to bringing the resolution, the education minister said instructions on the use of the language in official work in government offices already existed. ''However it is the attitude of officials towards the Punjabi language that matters,'' she said while moving the resolution.

The resolution also urged the government to ensure that Punjabi was taught as a compulsory subject in each and every school in the state upto the tenth standard, irrespective of the board or university to which the institution was affiliated.

Presently the language is taught as a compulsory subject upto the tenth standard in all the schools affiliated to the Punjab School Education Board. In the schools affiliated to the CBSE or ICSE, a student can opt for Hindi, Punjabi or any other Indian language in the tenth standard.

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