From CK Nayak
New Delhi: Rajya Sabha member from Meghalaya, Wansuk Syiem, on Friday went a step ahead by moving a special mention in the Upper House demanding immediate inclusion of both Khasi and Garo languages in the coveted Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
These two languages are spoken by the vast majority of Khasis and Garos in Meghalaya and have evolved over a long period of time to be contenders for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India, Wansuk said.
Khasi and Garo languages are recognized as official languages of the State under the Meghalaya Language Act, 2005 enacted by the State Government. Way back in 1900, Calcutta University accorded a significant status to Khasi language as one of the mediums of examination which was emulated by Gauhati University in 1984.
Recruitment examinations for posts in central ministries and departments and institutions bar languages other than those in the Eighth Schedule thereby depriving a large number of job aspirants from Meghalaya for such positions, she said.
Meghalaya Government has already sent a formal proposal last year to the Centre for inclusion of Khasi and Garo language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
Inclusion of the two languages will help in removing the feeling of alienation of lakhs of tribals living in remotest part of the country, she said. “I urge the Centre to consider inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India and I carve the indulgence of this august House to endorse this proposal in unison as worthy of consideration and adoption,” Wansuk said in her special mention.
The Eighth Schedule to the Indian Constitution contains a list of 22 scheduled languages. At the time the Constitution was enacted, inclusion in this list meant that the language was entitled to representation on the Official Languages Commission. A candidate appearing in an examination conducted for public service at a higher level is entitled to use any of these languages as the medium in which he or she answers the paper.
Through the 92nd Constitutional Amendment in 2003, four new languages – Bodo, Maithili, Dogri and Santali – were added to the Eighth Schedule, prompting demands for Constitutional recognition to many other regional languages in the country including some from the Northeast.