Patiala (Manpreet Singh):- Satnam Hasija, a prominent social worker of the Bahawalpur community and patron of the Bahawalpur Welfare Society, said that a community's heritage remains preserved as long as every member of society, including its children, speaks their mother tongue and takes pride in speaking it.
He said it was the responsibility of elders to speak the Bahawalpuri language, at least within their homes and families. Merely raising hollow slogans such as “Jai Bahawalpuri” and “Long Live Bahawalpuri” cannot bring progress to the community. When members of the Bahawalpuri community meet one another, they should converse in their own language. Similarly, discussions held during meetings should also take place in Bahawalpuri.
When contacted on this subject, Dr. Madan Lal Hasija, retired Director of the Language Department, said that he had compiled research-based articles in his books on the traditions, customs, festivals, lifestyle and other cultural aspects of the Bahawalpur community. He warned that if the community forgot its language and failed to preserve its culture, its name could disappear from the ranks of the world's honest, hardworking and self-respecting communities.
Satnam Hasija therefore appealed to all members of the community to put aside mutual differences, unite and demonstrate solidarity, and work determinedly to protect their language and culture. He also urged them to make their children an integral part of this campaign.
