Punjab Vidhan Sabha passes resolution to make Punjabi language mandatory in state government institutions

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Chandigarh: Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Monday (March 2) passed a unanimous resolution to make the Punjabi language mandatory in all state government institutions. The resolution was moved by Cabinet Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and appealed to the Speaker to make the Punjabi language mandatory in all state government institutions and the functioning of the courts should also be ensured in Punjabi.

Channi also appealed to the Speaker to ensure all proceedings and working of Punjab Vidhan Sabha in Punjabi. He had also proposed that necessary steps should be taken to make the Punjabi language a compulsory subject in all government and private schools up-to tenth standard.

In addition, he proposed that the State Government should make necessary arrangements, including the laws, to prevent any person or institution from working against the Punjabi language.

Speaking in the House, Channi had said that Punjabi is spoken in 150 countries across the globe and referring to the UNO report, he said that Punjabi ranks 12th out of 7000 languages worldwide. But as per this report, there is a threat to 2000 languages which would extinct in the next 50 years and Punjabi is one of them.

Channi said that his department technical education has taken a lead to provide a syllabus for all the technical education courses in Punjabi. He said that the decision in this regard has already been taken to translate all the books in Punjabi.

The Cabinet Minister also advocated making joint efforts to make Punjabi a second language in the neighboring states Haryana, Himachal, and Rajasthan. He also informed the house that the state government would organise a first Punjabi Film Festival on 17-18 March 2020 to promote the Punjabi language.