SIRSA: Haryana Chief Minister Bhajan Lal last week cleverly dodged a vociferous demand for second language status for Punjabi at-a big public meeting organized by the Akhil Bharatiya Yuva Punjabi Sena at the Nehru Park here

While Youth Congress(I) President Maninderjit Singh Bitta and Union Minister Selja came at least five Punjabi ministers of Haryana Harpal Singh A.C. Chaudhry Surinder Madan Chant Dass Makhija and Subhash Batra stayed away. The public meeting was held on the occasion of Lohri but had political overtones several well-known Punjabi folk singers were also engaged to ensure mass response.

Article extracted from this publication >> January 21, 1994