Director of Bhasha Vibhag Punjab (Language Department) Jaswant Singh Zafar has alleged that a section of the bureaucracy is attempting to “wind up” the department by withholding funds, delaying administrative decisions and creating hurdles in its functioning.In a post on social media, Zafar claimed that he had received information from a high-level government source that a group of bureaucrats was keen on bringing the department to an end. He said developments over the past several months pointed towards such an attempt.Listing his allegations, Zafar said nearly 70 books awaiting publication with the Printing and Stationery Department had not been allocated any budget despite directions from the Chief Minister.He further alleged that payments for five to six literary events organised over the past three months had been withheld; contractual workers engaged against nearly 70 vacant posts of attendants and sanitation staff had not been allowed to continue after April 1; promotions of departmental officers had been denied; and no action had been taken to vacate the department’s Sahit Sadan from the possession of the NCC despite repeated requests.Zafar also claimed that despite these hurdles, the department had continued its work. He said the departmental team had managed to publish long-pending literary journals without receiving publication funds and had continued planning literary programmes despite pending payments and repeated attempts to demoralise officers and employees.