Defacing of Panjab University nameplates leads to fresh controversy

The defacement of nameplates and signage on the Panjab University campus to oppose the non-inclusion of Punjabi language, initiated by Sath, a campus political group, has irked physically challenged students.

The student group defaced newly installed nameplates, with names in Hindi, English and Braille, after the PU authorities did not respond to their demand for inclusion of Punjabi language on these boards. They protesting students also defaced the plates carrying names in Braille, which angered physically challenged students. They maintained that they were not opposing the inclusion of Punjabi language on the nameplates and signage, as demanded by Sath, but were against the defacement of signage with information in Braille.

The physically challenged students and executive members of the Equal Opportunity Cell submitted a representation to the Vice-Chancellor.

Earlier, Sath had submitted a memorandum to the Equal Opportunity Cell, seeking the inclusion of Punjabi on new signboards being installed under the ongoing accessibility and infrastructure revamp drive on the campus. The students said the new boards put up outside rooms of various departments had names in Hindi at the top, followed by English and Braille. In the memorandum, the student group asked the university administration to address the issue in two days and ensure names in Punjabi were included on these boards. “Punjabi has been part of multilingual signage within the university, and we have demanded newly installed boards carry names in Punjabi prominently. The matter was brought to the university’s notice four days ago. However, the authorities failed, and we decided to protest by applying black paint on each nameplate,” said Panjab University Campus Student Council (PUCSC) vice-president Ashmeet, who represented Sath in last year’s election, in a video message.