Chandigarh: With Chief Minister Bhupinder
Singh Hooda going all out to woo the Punjabis in Haryana, the
opposition INLD has claimed his new found love for the
community is unreal as the state government was earlier
reluctant in according the second language status to Punjabi.
"The legislation was passed more than six years back by
the INLD government in 2004 and should have been notified by
the (Hooda) government immediately on assuming power (first
term March 2005)," INLD`s Haryana unit chief Ashok Arora said.
Punjabi was accorded the second language status in
Haryana last month.
The government had been reluctant to accord the second
language status to Punjabi all these years because the move
was initiated by then Chautala government. Somehow the
notification could not be issued then because of Model Code of
Conduct coming into force (in view of the Feb 2005 Assembly
elections), the INLD MLA said.
Hooda has during the past one month attended several
functions of the community at various places.
Two days back, Hooda was seen speaking in chaste Punjabi
at a Punjabi Maha Sammelan at Hisar. He had said he was now
learning to read and write the language.
"Punjabi language does not belong to any particular area
or community, but in itself it is a significant culture. Now,
it is the duty of all of us to educate our children about
Punjabi culture," he had said.
Meanwhile, Haryana Janhit Congress President and former
MP, Kuldeep Bishnoi sought to give credit to then Bhajan Lal
government for taking a number of steps for the welfare of
Punjabi community.
"Let Hooda issue a white paper stating what he has done
for Punjabis so far. It was during the Bhajan Lal government
that the community had flourished," Bishnoi, Lal`s younger
son, said.
PTI
