Culture of language or language of culture?

Amarjot Kaur

Swinging through the slips between the cup and lip, the language protest at Punjab University’s (PU) Department of Punjabi continues to oscillate from addressing cultural aesthetics to legal sensibilities.

On March 29, 2001, the home secretary had issued directions (keeping in view the convenience of Chandigarh-based people and visitors from neighbouring states) that all signboards on roads and public places should be written in English, Hindi, and Punjabi, in Chandigarh. What started as a protest against noncompliance of the 2001 direction by Baljit Singh Khalsa who had painted signboards with black paint in the past, reached the city’s education hub and is only a little less radical than Baljit’s ways. Radical aside, the question is—how rational are their demands? 

All guns blazing 

Spearheading the protest, Mahtab Singh of PU’s Department of Punjabi says, “Though the authorities have agreed to put Punjabi on top of Hindi and English, at least at PU, not much has been done so far. Our ways are not radical. We are not affiliated to any political or even student party. We are only asking of what was promised to us by the government authorities and we do have some more demands.” Mahtab shares that the department wants to promote Punjabi language. So, he lists it up: “We want the Punjabi Language Act, which was amended in 2008, to be implemented. In order to keep the language alive and updated, a separate linguistics department should be formed for Punjabi and other regional languages. Also, we should be allowed to submit our thesis in Punjabi and Hindi.” The list goes on to demand more stenographers (who understand Punjabi) to be appointed and checking on private schools if they can fine students for speaking in their mother tongue. 

Quality matters 

Professor Archana R Singh, head of School of Communication Studies, says that six years ago, she had sent a letter to the DUI demanding that a student of hers, who was not as well-versed in English, be allowed to submit his thesis in Hindi. “The DUI had at that time asked other departments if they were okay with the idea, and only Physics department came with a yes. The problem is that with Punjabi and Hindi thesis, we would need to develop plagiarism software to see that there is no replication of content. In English, it is easier to see that part and keep the quality in check,” she adds.

Lacking scientific temperament 

“This is a very complicated issue. In social sciences, language is important and the idea is to disseminate research papers to a wider audience. That’s where the problem comes in. A lot of people don’t speak or write Punjabi,” says Professor Rajesh Gill. “We should not put a limit to a child’s calibre, especially when it comes to thesis as evaluation is a problem if the evaluator does not know Punjabi. Also, Punjabi does not have a specific translation for technical words in English. But there are students who cannot write in good English either.”

Rajesh gill is a fellow professor in the Department of Sociology and Fellow PU. 

Cultural aspect

The Chairman of Punjab Arts Council, Surjit Patar, had no idea about the thesis and research paper part of it, but was relieved at the idea of including Punjabi on signboards. He is prompt to point at Canada. “In Québec, they speak French, but because it is a part of Canada, they put up signboards in English too. Its late, but a welcome move in Punjab,” he says. 

On the other side 

Baljit Khalsa demanded inclusion of Punjabi language on the signboards. In July, he had defaced a signboard at UT deputy commissioner office in Sector 17, for which he was booked under Defacement Act. “The court has fined me with Rs 7,500 and I haven’t gotten even a single penny by SAD. I’ll be going to jail. If they think they can ever stop me, they are wrong. The police think I am an agent of Babbar Khalsa and had pressed false charges against me even in the past, but I want Punjabi on the signboards,” he says while hurling a few crass words as he spoke. 

Last year, the parliamentary standing committee on home affairs had taken up the issue of making Punjabi second language in Chandigarh. The members of the committee, which was chaired by P Bhattacharya, had questioned the rationale behind Punjabi not being made second language in Chandigarh. In response, the ministry had said UT may consider declaring Punjabi as second language in view of the location of Chandigarh.

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