Just like the past many years, this year too, people belonging to different fields of life attended the Mother Language Day in Lahore on 21st February 2021 under the aegis of Punjab Lok Sangat. Pakistan Mazdoor Kisan Party and All Pakistan Trade Union Federation also collaborated with Punjab Lok Sangat. The workers and leaders also attended the rally to express solidarity with their joint cause to implement Punjabi across the province as compulsory language.
The redeeming feature of the rally was the fact that not only Punjabi language activists but lawyers, teachers, journalists, poets, trade union leaders, political workers, and representatives from minority community also took part. The rally started from Lahore Press Club and concluded at the Assembly Hall.
Amjad Saleem Minhas, organizer of the rally and convener of Punjab Lok Sangat, said that they demand from the government to announce the vacancies of Punjabi teachers in all state owned and private schools and colleges of the province. He further demanded that every state owned college should have seats of Punjabi lecturers. More funds should be devoted to cultural and literary organizations related to the promotion of Punjabi language and literature. A rights campaigner, political activist and publisher, Amjad Saleem Minhas has been involved in Punjabi language campaign for many years. He was one of those people who helped designed the program in a way so that all the walks of life have their fair share in the rally. He believed that 21st February is the day to think and introspect as it was on this day when Bengali people stood up for their language. Shaheed Minar is reminiscent of their struggle against tyranny.
Speaking on the occasion, people reiterated their demands for the promotion of Punjabi language and literature in the province. Trade union leaders and representatives Ch Anwer Gujjar, Altaf Baloch, Hanif Ramay, Safdar Hussain Sandhu, teachers union representatives, Zahid Awan, Tauseef Sadiq, and poet Tahira Sra etc spoke on the occasion. Political activist, academic and singer Taimoor Rahman sang the poetry of Baba Fareed and kept the audience enthralled. Punjabi poet Sabir Ali Sabir's poem was beautifully presented as a skit in the rally which was highly praised by the audience. Another program was organized by the Punjabi Parchar at the chairing cross, Mall road, in which many Punjabi activists spoke on the importance of the mother language.
The redeeming feature of the rally was the fact that not only Punjabi language activists but lawyers, teachers, journalists, poets, trade union leaders, political workers, and representatives from minority community also took part. The rally started from Lahore Press Club and concluded at the Assembly Hall.
Amjad Saleem Minhas, organizer of the rally and convener of Punjab Lok Sangat, said that they demand from the government to announce the vacancies of Punjabi teachers in all state owned and private schools and colleges of the province. He further demanded that every state owned college should have seats of Punjabi lecturers. More funds should be devoted to cultural and literary organizations related to the promotion of Punjabi language and literature. A rights campaigner, political activist and publisher, Amjad Saleem Minhas has been involved in Punjabi language campaign for many years. He was one of those people who helped designed the program in a way so that all the walks of life have their fair share in the rally. He believed that 21st February is the day to think and introspect as it was on this day when Bengali people stood up for their language. Shaheed Minar is reminiscent of their struggle against tyranny.
Speaking on the occasion, people reiterated their demands for the promotion of Punjabi language and literature in the province. Trade union leaders and representatives Ch Anwer Gujjar, Altaf Baloch, Hanif Ramay, Safdar Hussain Sandhu, teachers union representatives, Zahid Awan, Tauseef Sadiq, and poet Tahira Sra etc spoke on the occasion. Political activist, academic and singer Taimoor Rahman sang the poetry of Baba Fareed and kept the audience enthralled. Punjabi poet Sabir Ali Sabir's poem was beautifully presented as a skit in the rally which was highly praised by the audience. Another program was organized by the Punjabi Parchar at the chairing cross, Mall road, in which many Punjabi activists spoke on the importance of the mother language.