Rally in Support of Punjabi Language Rights

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Kahut leads Rally in support of Punjabi Languge rights on Lahore streets

Report and Photos by: Khalid Nazir
Lahore : Feb 21, 2010

Nazeer Kahut shouting slogans in support of Punjabi language rights in front of PILAC Qadafi Stadium Lahore.(Photo by Khalid Nazir)

NazeerKahut the Founder Chairman of Punjabi National Conference lead a rally in support of Punjabi language rights on the Lahore Street on Saturday evening.The rally was orgainsed by National Youth Forum in connection with International mother language day.The rally was taken out from the Punjabi Complex in the Gaddafi Stadium ,to Liberty Chowk to Create awareness among the masses concerning their mother tongue.

Rally stopped by the police from moving ahead.Kahut talking to the police officer (Photo by: Khalid Nazir)

Addressing the Punjabi rights activists, students, poets, intellectuals who participated in the rally Nazeer Kahut said that the constitutional, moral, legal, and democratic rights of the Punjabi people were being usurped by the establishment and the integrity of Punjab was in grave danger. Due to which the situation had gone out of control and the ruling elite now could no more deny the 100 million people of the Punjab their rights.

Nazeer Kahut demanded the Punjab government to end discrimination against the Punjabi language and adopt Punjabi language as the official medium of instruction in the province. He proposed that a Punjabi university on the pattern of the Federal Urdu University, an Institute of Punjabiology like the Institute of Sindhalogy and a Punjabi Language Authority should be established in the province.

Nazeer Kahut alleged that some leaders from political parties in Punjab, rulers, feudal lords and bureaucracy supported status quo and did not want the common people to prosper. "That is why they are hampering the implementation of the Punjabi as the official, academic and legal language in the Punjab," he said.

Nazeer Kahut said that there are elements with in the establishment and ruling class who are opposing the enforcement of their own mother tongue as the medium of instruction in Punjab.The inferior mentality has an inferiority ridden attitude towards their mother tongue.

He said the class system was the root-cause of the downfall of Punjabis and their language.He demanded that Punjabis should be given their birthright to speak and learn their mother tongue. He warned of a movement to protect the rights of Punjab and the Punjabi language.However Police stopped the rally from moving ahead.And it was disbursed peacefully.