Govt to deal strictly with erring schools: Minister

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Tribune News Service

Patiala, February 14

During inauguration of the Punjabi language and cultural festival at Punjabi University here today, Cultural Affairs and Tourism Minister Charanjit Singh Channi said the state government would deal strictly with schools that imposed any kind of fine on speaking Punjabi on the school premises. The state government has dedicated the festival to International Mother Tongue Day.

The state government was making all efforts so that Punjabi language got its due in neighbouring states too, the minister added. “Punjabi is the 10th largest spoken language in the world,” the minister said.

Giving the example of dignitaries present on the occasion the minister added that all of them were product of Punjabi Language Schools and attained heights in respective fields due to Punjabi environment.

“The government is taking steps to ensure that Punjabi education remains compulsory in all schools. We will deal strictly with schools that are found imposing any kind of fine on speaking Punjabi. Every step is being taken for usage of Punjabi in the administrative work,” the minister said.

The minister also announced a grant of Rs 15 lakh for the Guru Tegh Bahadur Hall sound system.

Padam Shri Surjit Pattar said, “Punjabi University is the second university in the world to be named after a language. There is a need to connect new generations to their mother tongue.”