Activists of the ‘Maa Boli Satkar Committee’, comprising workers of the Malwa Youth Federation (MYF), the Dal Khalsa, the SAD (Amritsar) and the BKU (Krantikari), smudged Hindi and English off signboards, the top languages, in Bathinda city on Saturday night.
Saying that Punjabi needed to be on top, they also defaced some boards inside the district administrative complex. Some of them were booked under Punjab Prevention of Defacement of Property Act, 1997. Committee workers said they had relaunched the campaign — first started in October — to ensure that Punjabi is placed on top on all signboards in the state.
Dal Khalsa senior vice-president, Hardeep Singh, said, “We had requested deputy commissioners to ensure that Punjabi was on top on all signboards, but nothing happened. Our campaign for this will run till Baisakhi.”
“Under this campaign, our workers will smudge all signboards with English and Hindi on top. On Sunday, we smudged such signboards on the Bathinda–Chandigarh road and some other places. We are not against any language, but only want Punjabi to be given its due,” he added.
Last year, committee workers had smudged signboards with Hindi and English on top on Bathinda–Faridkot national highway. Following this, the state government had ordered that Punjabi will be on top on these signboards. Police had then arrested Hardeep and gangster-turned- activist president of MYF, Lakhbir Singh alias Lakha Sidhana, for allegedly damaging public property. Bathinda deputy commissioner Diprava Lakra said, “I am not aware if signboards inside the DAC have been smudged. If this has been done, action will be taken against perpetrators.”
{{/usCountry}}Last year, committee workers had smudged signboards with Hindi and English on top on Bathinda–Faridkot national highway. Following this, the state government had ordered that Punjabi will be on top on these signboards. Police had then arrested Hardeep and gangster-turned- activist president of MYF, Lakhbir Singh alias Lakha Sidhana, for allegedly damaging public property. Bathinda deputy commissioner Diprava Lakra said, “I am not aware if signboards inside the DAC have been smudged. If this has been done, action will be taken against perpetrators.”
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