SHILLONG: The move for inclusion of Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution appears to be caught in a bind as Centre is currently preoccupied with pandemic control. From what it appears, the formal proposal of the state government sent one-and-half years ago has been pending with the Home Ministry.
Recognition to the two languages is a long pending aspiration of the people of the state but when the dream is going to be fulfilled is still unclear even after one and half year of the passing of official resolution in this regard by the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
Khasi Authors’ Society (KAS) member, Raphael Warjri recalled that after a meeting with then Union Home Minister, Rajnath Singh and Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Kiren Rijiju in March last year, the Ministry had communicated to KAS that 38 pending languages including Khasi were under scrutiny for recognition as official languages of India.
Warjri, however, said that the political turmoil due to CAB and CAA, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic had caused a serious setback to the progress. “With the new leadership in the Home Ministry, KAS will pursue the matter post the pandemic situation,” Warjri said.
It is learnt that the file is still in the custody of the Home Ministry and the process will go through relevant departments for further assessment, particularly the department of official languages. He added that the state government is also waiting for correspondence from the Union Home Ministry.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said that the Assembly resolution had reached the Union Government and the issue was under active case examination.
Informing that the chief minister has been pursuing the matter, he added that the state government would continue to push the Union government till the time both languages are included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
Official stats reveal that Khasi language is spoken by around 14 lakh people whereas Garo language is spoken by around 10 lakh people in the country.