New Delhi, November 3: A delegation led by Tura MP and Former Union Minister of State, Agatha K Sangma, accompanied by Thomas A Sangma, Speaker of Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Marcuise N Marak, Cabinet Minister and the President of A’chik Literature Society (Garo), Dr. Caroline R. Marak, met ithe Union Home Secretary in New Delhi to address the longstanding issue of incorporating the Garo language into the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
Talking about the discussion with the Union Home Ministry officials, the Speaker of the Assembly said the delegation had a fruitful discussion regarding the inclusion of the Garo Language in the list of demands for recognition under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) officials assured the delegation that Garo languages will be included in the list of demands.
Tura MP Agatha Sangma said, “There has been a public demand to include Garo language in the Eighth Schedule. The MHA officials have agreed to include Garo in the official waitlist of languages based on the request of the delegation, that will pave the way for Eighth Schedule inclusion.”
Notably, in September 2018, the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly passed a resolution urging the Central Government to include both Garo and Khasi languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. This recent meeting marks a critical step forward in fulfilling this long-standing demand.
Garo is spoken in five districts of Garo hills of Meghalaya, as well as in certain regions of the Khasi-Jaintia Hills where a substantial population of Garos resides.
Currently, there are 22 languages recognized in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.