The Tribune. Chandigarh. 11 September 2008

The Punjab Assembly today unanimously passed the Punjab Official Languages' (Amendment) Bill-2008 making use of Punjabi mandatory in all official functioning.

The Assembly also passed the Punjab Learning of Punjabi and other Languages' Bill that makes study of Punjabi compulsory till class X in all schools of the state.

The Punjab Official Language (Amendment) Bill drew praise from the House even though there were attempts by Congress legislator Ajitinder Singh Mofar to revive discussion on the transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab as well as transfer of Punjabi-speaking areas while speaking on a point of order.

Congress legislator Sukhpal Singh Khair took out the 1981 enumeration status report to claim that the BJP was behind the move under which many people had registered their language as Hindi and not Punjabi.

The SAD-BJP, however, snubbed discussion on both issues. Two important interventions on the Bill were that of finance minister Manpreet Badal and Congress legislator Makhan Singh. The finance minister said there had been a deliberate attempt by invaders to foist Urdu in the region. Makhan Singh said there was a time when languages were clubbed with religion, but the Bill made it clear this was not so. He urged education minister Upinderjit Kaur to include representatives from the Punjabi Lekhak Sabha in the committee being formed to monitor implementation of the Bill.

Upinderjit Kaur, on the suggestions of the members, moved a proposal that the state Advocate-General as well as two Punjabi writers, two representatives of recognised Sahit Sabhas and three from the press be included in the committee. These suggestions were approved by the House.