CHANDIGARH: The Sikh militant organization Babbar Khalsa International has directed Punjab University Chandigarh to into<duce English language as a compulsory subject up to the graduation level because this language is international in character and the militants are not in favor of undermining the importance of English

The B.K I. in a statement said that militants had respect for all languages while Aryan Samajists hate Punjabis well as Sikh gurus. It however emphasized that Punjabi should be given is due.

Punjab University must switch over to Punjabi in its administrative wing within one month. Any

Relaxation in this deadline can be given by a committee of Punjabi scholars for bona fide reasons only.

For every student in colleges affiliated to Punjab University Punjabi should be made a compulsory subject of200 marks up to the graduation level. Only non-Punjabis will be exempted from the scheme.

Thus both Punjabi and English will be compulsory languages up to the graduation level Hindi cannot claim equality in this regard.

The B.K.I. also suggested that 80% of the seats in all subjects in Punjab University should be ear earn marked for students belonging to rural areas. In another public statement the B.K.I. owned responsibility for the killings of two Punjab University professors Dr Rhushan Aggarwal and Dr. K. L Sharma who were gunned down at Mohali on Sunday; It said that the betrayal of Punjab.  Punjab and Sikhs by Punjab University by authorities had made all professors and other administrative officers “unsafe.” The B.K.I. asked the Vice Chancellor members of the Senate and Syndicate as to why they did not introduce Punjabi for so long. These authorities were also asked to explain as to why only 4% seats in the university belonged to Sikh white the remaining

seats had been represented by members of the Hindu community. The B.K.L asked the authorities also to explain as to why the Dalits in the university positions were not more than 1% How is it that Brahmans and Banias were in an overwhelming position Why have people belonging to other states been recruited to Punjab university and not from Punjab The B.K.I. also asked members of the senate and the syndicate belonging to Haryana to resign their seats.

The B.K.I. directives are apparently in line with its previously stated stand in favor of introducing Punjabi in Punjab and stopping the supply of water to the neighboring Hindu states.

Article extracted from this publication >> May 8, 1996