Punjabi Jagriti March on the occasion of International Mother Language Day*

*Thousands of Punjabis from across the country and world participated in the march; Cabinet Minister Mohinder Bhagat flagged it off*

*Punjab government is dedicated to promoting the Punjabi language: Aman Arora*

*Punjab government playing a significant role in elevating the status of our mother tongue: Deepak Bali*

Jalandhar, February 21

As every year, International Mother Language Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm in the city this year as well. On Friday, the Punjabi Jagriti March was organized by the Punjabi Jagriti Manch to promote the Punjabi language. Cabinet Minister Mohinder Bhagat flagged off the march. The march started from Lyallpur Khalsa School located on Nakodar Road and passed through various areas of Jalandhar city before concluding at Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall.

Cabinet Minister and Aam Aadmi Party’s Punjab President Aman Arora was the special guest on this occasion. He congratulated the people and emphasized the importance of the mother tongue. The Secretary of the Manch and Advisor to the Punjab Heritage and Tourism Promotion Board, Deepak Bali, led the march.

  MLA Raman Arora, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Himanshu Aggarwal, Chairman Punjab Karmchari Commission Chandan Grewal, Mayor Vineet Dhir, Deputy Mayor Malkit Singh, AAP leaders Rajwinder Kaur Thiara and Pawan Tinu were also present at the event.

Additionally, Singers Gurnam Bhullar, Kamal Heer, Jazzy B, Preet Harpal, and Dalwinder Dayalpuri entertained the school and college students with their songs.

On this occasion, Aman Arora congratulated organizer Deepak Bali for organizing the Punjabi Jagriti March. He said that Bali has been serving the Punjabi mother tongue and has been associated with Punjabi culture for a long time. He appealed to people to prioritize their mother tongue Punjabi. The Punjab government is also dedicated to the promotion of the Punjabi language. He urged parents and children to converse in Punjabi at home. He added that all languages deserve respect. Arora thanked the Punjab Jagriti Manch and the guests present at the event.

Manch Secretary Deepak Bali stated that there is a need to promote the Punjabi mother tongue on a large scale. He emphasized ensuring the mandatory teaching of the Punjabi language in all educational institutions and called for the society's cooperation in this effort. He said that Mother Language Day should be celebrated as a festival and highlighted that the Punjab government has made a significant contribution to elevate the status of Punjabi. He further stated that a person’s identity is rooted in their mother tongue. Therefore, while learning every language is important, one should not abandon their mother tongue. Many representatives from various schools and voluntary organizations participated in the march.

At the same time, singer Jazzy B, who attended the Punjabi Jagriti March, appealed to children, parents, and school teachers to prioritize their mother tongue Punjabi. Jazzy B shared his example, saying that if Punjabi were not his mother tongue, he would have been working somewhere else today.