Chandigarh/ Punjab (January 01, 2013): A detailed news report in Punjabi Tribune, a regional vernacular published from Chandigarh has revealed that marginalization of Punjabi language continues in Chandigarh.
Journalist Tirlochan Singh has noted in this news report that Chandigarh Adminis- tration has been establishing languages of other states in Chandigarh administration while deliberately ignoring Punjabi language.
As per information Chandigarh’s Registering and Licensing Authority (RLA) has notified five languages namely English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada for the written test associated with grant of learning driving license; while ousting the Punjabi language.
The move has deprived thousands of Punjabis applying for Driving licenses in Chandigarh to use their mother language to clear the written test.
It is notable that earlier Chandigarh Administration had disqualified candidates who had passed matriculation with Punjabi medium from applying for the job of bus conductors. The move was opposed by associations of Punjabi authors and some Punjabi intellectual, and was it recently withdrawn by the UT administration.
It is notable that the Chandigarh Administration has ousted Punjabi from it’s administration work, focusing only on Hindi and English languages.
Despite promise of Shivraj Patil, Administrator of Chandigarh, to implement trilingual formula granting space for Punjabi language besides English and Hindi; no change has taken place in this regard.
Notably, Chandigarh is joint capital of Punjab and Haryana but it’s administration is under the control of Central Government of India.