Notwithstanding several pious pronouncements and official fiats, the Akali Dal led government failed enforce Punjabi in government offices, obviously under pressure from ultra Hindu nationalist party, BJP which is bent upon making Punjab suba a bi-lingual state. But in Maharashtra , same BJP leading the state government is bent upon enforcing a regional language, Marathi (not Hindi) and has adopted a resolution— If officials in Maharashtra don’t use the language in all their communications, increments and promotions will be withheld:
Not using Marathi for paperwork will spell professional setbacks for civil servants in Maharashtra.
A government resolution earlier this week says officials should use the State language in all their communications or get their increments and promotions withheld. Administrative personnel in the Environment Department were admonished on Wednesday for using English in their paperwork for over two years despite repeated warnings. Marathi must be used in all notifications, announcements and internal communication under a 1966 State law.
The resolution warns heads of departments that the bulk of any communication must be in Marathi, barring a few words or phrases. The notification, in a broader sense, is part of the State’s efforts to preserve and promote Marathi, which is seen to be stagnating.
A committee on the Marathi language policy, formed by the previous government in June 2010, has recommended that promotions and increments of government servants are to be stringently linked to the use of correct Marathi in offices and establishments. Officials who neglect the directive should be denied career advancements. Establishments will have their grants and privileges withheld. The panel has recommended appointment of special officers to ensure that “correct” Marathi is spoken on television channels.
S. Jaspal Singh Sidhu is senior journalist (UNI, retired). He may be reached at jaspal.sdh@gmail.com