Nayar urges both Punjabs to apologise for partition violence

Patiala, Apr 30 (UNI) Veteran Journalist and former Member of Parliament Kuldip Nayar today urged the assemblies of Indian Punjab and Pakistan Punjab to pass a ''resolution of apology'' to the families of those people who have been killed during the partition of India in 1947.

Mr Nayar was speaking at the first All India Punjabi Conference at Guru Teg Bahadur Hall in Punjabi University to celebrate its 47th foundation day.

He said he was hopeful that the Akali Dal government would have no objection to the proposal and he would approach BJP president L K Advani to woo his support.

He said if consensus arrived in Indian Punjab for both the parties, he would then approach leaders of Pakistani Punjab assembly.

He stressed the need for setting up a museum dedicated to memory of partition as Punjabis had paid with their blood for the partition.

Regarding Punjabi culture, he said it too would die or get distorted if 'Gurmukhi script' was not taught in the schools.

The bigger Punjabi population in Pakistan's Punjab had also failed to promote the culture and language with the denial of official status to Punjabi and pre-pondering position of Urdu there, Mr Kuldip Nayar said.

''Now it was an appropriate time to raise a movement in favour of Punjabi in Punjab and outside'' adding that the parents must encourage their children to speak and learn Punjabi because it was most important to keep the ethos of Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiat alive.

UNI XC JN SP VC2212