ਪੰਜਾਬ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਦੀ ਸੰਭਾਲ

Suggestions Received in Global Sikhi Scholars seminar on “Preservation of Punjabi Language in Punjab “ਪੰਜਾਬ ਵਿੱਚ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ ਦੀ ਸੰਭਾਲ.” held on December 20/21, 2023, and January 17/18, 2024. SUGGESTIONS FOR PUNJAB GOVERNMENT

• Technical words of foreign origin which are in common use and have been adopted in Punjabi and are deep rooted, need not be translated.
• Words, specially from Persian/Arabic origin, which are being used and well entrenched in our day to day life by our rural folks, should not be replaced with words from other languages.
• Private schools which forbid students to speak Punjabi, should be dealt with legally. State government is legally empowered to do so.
• Scholars in the universities of Punjab are mainly responsible for spoiling the structure of Punjabi language. They are unnecessarily inducting Hindi/Sanskrit words, where simple Punjabi words are available.
• A vocabulary/dictionary of standard Punjabi words used in all walks of life should be created, which should include the technical words on all subjects like science, engineering, law, medicine, revenue system, sports and many more fields related to our day to day life.
• There should not be any mistake in spellings in any communication/book/sign boards etc. The services of local companies/contractors should be utilized to attain this. It has been noticed that contractors/companies from other states are mainly responsible for wrong spellings on sign boards.
• Knowledge of Punjabi as compulsory subject for all the employments in Punjab, should be strictly enforced. Legal provision already exists for this purpose, only enforcement of this provision is required.
• Any language can develop only if it is an official language of a state because only official language can become language of employment. People will learn/communicate a language only when it gives them employment.
• Punjab has so far been unfortunate that all the governments lacked a genuine will to grant Punjabi language its due status.
• As per constitution of India, language is a state subject, but central government placed language in concurrent list in 1973. This paved the way of imposing English/Hindi in the states by the Indian Government.
• Although Punjab Official Language (Raj Bhasha) Act declaring Punjabi as the sole language for conducting all the Government business, exists since January 1968 and an amendment was made in year 2008 which makes it compulsory the use of Punjabi language in district courts. Separate Central Government law exists for use of official state language in high court. The required infrastructure for this purpose has not been created by successive Punjab Governments. This infrastructure includes hiring of stenographer/translators/decision writers etc. Thus, there seems to be a lack of will in the political leadership to give Punjabi its due status.
• Haryana Govt. has already decided to provide all help to Punjab & Haryana High Court to make Hindi the language of the High Court. As high court for Punjab & Haryana is common, an unnecessary confusion will be created, if Punjab Govt. does not act to make Punjabi as the language of the High Court.
• Central Government pays for the cost of translation of laws in the state’s official language. Punjab Government should avail this facility to translate all the existing laws in Punjabi. This will also generate employment for the people of Punjab. Punjab Government should avail this facility to translate all the existing laws in Punjabi. A commission for this purpose was constituted previously but remained defunct, could not accomplish the given target and it is non-existent now. This commission should be revived by the Punjab government to implement the task and get the laws translated through outsourcing from unemployed computer literate Punjabi youth. This task can be accomplished quickly using existing translator apps by the youth. In this way there will not be any financial burden on Punjab government and Punjabi youth will get employment.  ” For propagation of Punjabi language following four steps will help: o Sign Boards of all Private/Government entities should be in Punjabi on the top. 
• Translation centers proficient in translating from other languages to Punjabi and vice versa should be created by Punjab Government. o All villages in Punjab should have libraries with Punjabi Books on every subject. 
• Punjabi films and Punjabi songs/drama should be given encouragement, but there should be legal ban on misuse of Punjabi by so called artists presenting vulgar and double meaning songs.

“SUGGESTIONS FOR COMMON PEOPLE OF PUNJAB “

• All the universities of Punjab, private or Government run universities, be persuaded to teach all subjects, including law in Punjabi medium.
• Mothers/Grandmothers should play their historic role of telling folk stories to their children/grandchildren in Punjabi.
• It is not the duty of selected activists or scholars rather it is duty of every Punjabi to work for the cause of preservation/propagation of Punjabi language and culture. Every Punjabi should be proud of his mother tongue and culture.
• All labelling in house holds should be in Gurmukhi.
• All Punjabis should communicate in Punjabi written in Gurmukhi script on social media sites. Display of names on Zoom/Webex etc. should be in Punjabi/Gurmukhi.
• Punjabi film makers should develop Cartoon characters in Punjabi.
• Addresses of Web sites in Punjabi should be shared by Punjabi lovers.
• Information about online Punjabi courses run by various universities should be spread, so that more & more people enroll themselves for these courses.
• We should purchase Punjabi books to encourage Punjabi writers.
• Punjabi writers should use Gurmukhi numerals instead of roman numerals.
• It was suggested that Global Sikh Council should form a follow up committee to ensure that suggestions received in this seminar are implemented in letter & spirit.
  
  

It was suggested that Global Sikh Council should write to Chief Minister, Punjab and other important government functionaries regarding the actions required to be taken by Punjab Government on the implementation of suggestions received from the experts.

• Punjabi businesses should use Punjabi as the language of business. It should be made legally binding for all the products sold in Punjab to publish the user manuals in Punjabi. This should be applicable to medicines, instruments, pesticides, domestic appliances etc.
• A common perception that Punjabi is the language of Sikhs only, should be removed. Every person living in Punjab belonging to any religion should feel that Punjabi is his/her language of communication.