Bringing the Raj back to Panchayati Raj: lectures in English

It was touted as an important step in spreading the message of Panchayati Raj across Punjab. But in the end, a government workshop on decent...

It was touted as an important step in spreading the message of Panchayati Raj across Punjab. But in the end, a government workshop on decentralisation ended up making little sense—literally. For, most of the speakers, including Deputy Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, strangely chose to address the largely rural audience in English.

With the interaction fast turning into a bizarre farce, members of the audience—zila parishad chairmen, block samiti chiefs and sarpanches—started loudly demanding a switch in language. But the state’s babudom remained unfazed.

After Bhattal stumbled through her prepared speech, filling up the gaps with a few Punjabi words, State Secretary (Rural Development and Panchayats) G S Sandhu took over—once again in English. Explaining how the Punjab government had modelled its Panchayati Raj system on the 73rd and 74th Constitional amendments, he went on to provide an introduction to the workshop and explained the concept of devolution of powers. But the audience remained clueless.

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‘‘What is the point of attending these proceedings if you have turned all of us here into total illiterates?’’ a block samiti chairman was heard remarking loudly.

Yet, the farce continued.

J S Kesar, a retired IAS officer, spoke in English, as did Rural Development and Panchayat Director S R Ladhar. Sharing the stage with them were S S Chahal, a block samiti chairman from Patiala and Sarpanch Bibi Rachpal Kaur: both spoke in English.

Finaly, the babus flinched when Banga MLA Tarlochan Singh Soond stood up and demanded that the speakers switch to Punjabi. Mumbling that she had to attend another meeting, Bhattal left hastly, but only after instructing Sandhu to translate her speech in Punjabi.

‘‘Many of the sarpanches here are 10th or 10+2 grade pass, and we didn’t understand the proceedings,’’ admitted Baldev Singh, sarpanch of Chandar vilage in Ferozepur.

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In fact, before the workshop started today, some of the participants were expecting Union Minister Mani Shanker Aiyar to drop in. But at the end of it all, they seemed thankful he didn’t. No prizes for guessing why.

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