By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 3: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has granted the request of the state for inclusion of the Garo language to the preliminary list of Indian languages that are awaiting recognition under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
The Khasi language is mentioned on the list of 38 languages that were being considered for potential inclusion. There was no mention of the Garo language, earlier.
Lok Sabha member from Tura, Agatha K Sangma led a state delegation to meet with Union Home Secretary, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, to seek the inclusion of the Garo language in the provisional list.
The MHA has finally consented to add the Garo language on the list per their request, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma announced on social media on Friday.
Prior to the Centre’s nod, the delegation, led by the Tura MP and consisting of Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma, Cabinet Minister Marcuise N Marak, and President of the A’chik Literature Society (Garo), Caroline R Marak, held a meeting with the MHA Secretary in Delhi and discussed the long-standing matter of adding the Garo language to the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
“We 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 Speaker said in a statement following the meeting, underscoring the importance of their conversation with the Home Secretary and other officials at North Block.
The Speaker stated that representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) were informed of the situation and gave the delegation the assurance that the Garo languages will be added to the list of requests.
“There has been a public demand to include the 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; this paves the way for Eighth Schedule inclusion,” Agatha said.
Notably, the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly had approved a resolution in September 2018 to plead with the central government to add the Khasi and Garo languages to the Eighth Schedule.
Five districts of Meghalaya and some areas of the Khasi-Jaintia Hills, having a sizable Garo population, are home to speakers of the Garo language.
Presently, the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution recognises twenty-two languages.