Muslim sarpanches opt for oaths in Punjabi in Malerkotla

Muslim sarpanches and panches of the district have decided to take their oaths in Punjabi, despite their strong affinity for Urdu. This decision comes in response to an appeal from organisations promoting the Punjabi language, following the state government’s initiative that allows elected representatives to swear in their language of choice.

Haazi Sagir Mohammad, the sarpanch of Dehliz Kalan, said while they cherish Urdu as their mother tongue and have worked with organisations supporting it in Muslim-majority areas, they respect the sentiments of other communities, including Sikhs and Hindus. He said all seven Muslim panches in his village agreed to take their oaths in Punjabi.

Sarpanch Akbar from Rodiwal village echoed these sentiments and noted most Muslim sarpanches and panches in the district were inclined to take their oaths in Punjabi, despite the Block Development and Panchayat Office in Malerkotla offering translated versions of the oath in both Punjabi and English.

Elected representatives from various villages, including Jatiwal Arayian, Faridpur Kalan and Binjoki, have also expressed their willingness to swear in Punjabi, joining their counterparts from other communities. Language enthusiasts have called on all non-Punjabi-speaking sarpanches and panches to show solidarity and also opt for Punjabi during their swearing-in.

The government has organised a series of functions beginning November 8, allowing elected representatives to take oaths in their preferred language. Block Development and Panchayat Officers (BDPOs) are tasked with preparing oath forms in the desired language of each sarpanch or panch. The Rural Development and Panchayat Department has directed officials to confirm the language preferences of local sarpanches and panches, ensuring that translations are available if needed.

Interestingly, the manual for the Punjab Panchayati Raj Act does not specify the language for taking oaths and authorities have been provided with samples of oaths in Punjabi and English, along with guidelines for translation. Additional Deputy Commissioner (development) Malerkotla has instructed block-level officials to gather this information and facilitate the swearing-in process accordingly.