Chandigarh, March 15 (IANS) The Punjab assembly Monday unanimously passed a resolution seeking Punjabi be accorded first language status in the union territory (UT) of Chandigarh.

A central government administered UT, Chandigarh is the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.

The resolution, moved by Education Minister Upinderjit Kaur, said Chandigarh city was established (in early 1950s) in nearly 30,000 acres of land of 28 villages of erstwhile undivided Punjab before Haryana and Himachal Pradesh were carved out of it, 'but Punjabi, the mother-tongue of Punjabis, was never accorded its due respect, significance and recognition'.

'It is being treated with indifference and neglect,' the resolution said, demanding first language status be accorded to Punjabi language and it should be made compulsory and taught from class 1 to Class 10 in all schools.

The resolution also demanded a Punjabi Sahitya (literary) Academy be set up in Chandigarh for the promotion of Punjabi literature, heritage and culture. Official work should be discharged in Punjabi along with other languages.

It also sought that all the sign-boards and nameplates of all government offices, roads and public places should be displayed in Punjabi.

Members of the assembly later unanimously decided to call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to impress upon him to secure second language status for Punjabi in all the neighbouring states.

A delegation of politicians and literary people, led by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, will meet Punjab Governor Shivraj Patil, who is also the administrator of Chandigarh, Tuesday to seek first language status to Punjabi in Chandigarh.