I would have laughed, had it not not been so pathetic.
Hundreds of village panches being lectured by babus and
netas in poor English, all in order to educate them about
panchayati raj. Only reason I went there was to see why such
a function was organized in a top-notch hotel where
villagers would hardly feel comfortable. And then this! Yeh
Bharat Desh Hai Mera. Sorry, I should use English. It
happens only in India.
Bringing the Raj back to Panchayati Raj
S P Singh
BILLED as a conclave to benefit elected representatives who act as the fulcrum of panchayati raj system, a state government's workshop on `Rural Decentralisation in Punjab' made little sense to most participants as most speakers, including the minister and secretary, chose to address participants in English even in the face of loud demands from the audience to switch to Punjabi.
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, not really known for her felicity with English,delivered her speech in the Queen's language, using a phrase or two of Punjabi whenever she couldn't find an appropriate word in the foreign language. Even the ceremony marking beginning of the workshop -- lighting of ritual lamps -- was a bit alien to most in the audience.
Secretary Rural Development and Panchayats G S Sandhu followed suit, speaking in English, and claiming how Punjab government has initiated the ambitious panchayati raj in line with the Constitution's 73rd and 74th amendments. He gave an introduction about the workshop, explained details of devolution of powers, but all in English.
At one stage, several people from among the audience comprising chairmen of zila parishads, block samitis, and some sarpanches, objected to the use of English and demanded that speakers, at least those who can, must speak in Punjabi. ``What is the point of attending these proceedings if you havee turned all of us here into total illiterates?'' asked a block samiti chairman loudly.
When there was little impact upon the ongoing proceedings' lingua franca, Banga MLA Tarlochan Singh stood up to loudly demand that speakers stick to Punjabi. Bhattal, who excused herself from the proceedings saying she was to attend a meeting of the state planning board, left after instructing Sandhu to translate for the benefit of the people if anything was said in English.
J.S.Kesar, a retired IAS officer, spoke in English, as did Rural Development and Panchayat Director
S.R.Ladhar, whose English was embellished with a few Punjabi words as saving grace. Chosen perhaps for their linguistic skills to sit on the stage alongside other dignitaries were S.S.Chahal, block samiti chairman Patiala and Sarpanch Bibi Rachpal Kaur of a Malout block village. Both spoke in English.
Baldev Singh, sarpanch of village Chandar in Ferozepur said he couldn't understand anything. ``Many of the sarpanches here are 10th or 10+2 grade pass but they didn't understand the proceedings,'' he said. Some said Union Minister Mani Shanker Aiyar, who was expected but could not come, would probably have spoken in Punjabi.
Bhattal's and Sandhu's tall claims about ushering in panchayati raj notwithstanding, a number of sarpanches challenged the government officials to prove if they have given any actual power. ``Not even one shred of paper has been received by the panchayats. How are you deleggating powers? Over telephone lines?'' asked a sarpanch, adding
BOX
Pakistan minister carries the day with Punjabi
Daniyal Aziz, Chairman of Pakistan National Reconstruction Bureau, was loudly cheered by the audience as he talked about the panchayati raj and local bodies system in Pakistan, described how corruption used the prevail there, and how politicians and bureaucracy were hand in glove in this racket -- all in Punjabi. Incidentally, Aziz, also an MP elected from Shakargarh, speaks flawless English and has been educated in western universities.
A state government press release, again in English, described participants from World Bank, Pakistan, Phillipines, Brazil, Karnataka and Kerala as ``dignified delegates''.
June 8, 2004