The Shiromani Akali Dal on Thursday registered its protest against denial of official language status to Punjabi by Chandigarh administration besides non-implementation of Punjab quota in UT administration with the UT Administrator, VP Singh Badnore.
A delegation of the SAD led by party MP Prem Singh Chandumajra briefed the Governor that despite the fact that Chandigarh was planned as a capital of Punjab by uprooting scores of Punjabi villages, grave injustice had been done to it by denying official language status to Punjabi.
The SAD MP also briefed the Governor that Chandigarh was the only UT in the country where the regional language had not been given official status. He said this anomaly should be corrected immediately .
The delegation members, including former minister Daljit Singh Cheema, said over the years there had been a concerted effort to change the Punjabi character of the city. He said while this started with removal of Punjabi sign boards, it had extended to such an extent now that UT offices now did not even entertain correspondence in Punjabi.
Badnore assured the delegation that a high level committee would look into all these issues.