By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 16: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday said the state government is keen to make Khasi and Garo the state’s official languages but there are logistical challenges and that aspect is being examined.
“The issue of declaring a language as an official language depends on the definition of official language,” he said.
“There are logistical challenges in terms of a simple aspect like if tomorrow the noting of government files is done in Garo language, will that be an issue? How will we handle that? If somebody makes a noting in Garo and suppose, the officer speaks Khasi and English and is not able to make comments or understand, then we will have challenges in the governance process,” Sangma explained.
“If that aspect is going to be included if it is an official language, how do we overcome that challenge? And if we remove that aspect and say that government communications and noting in the files will not be in Khasi and Garo, will that meet the definition of being official? So, we will have to see all those aspects and decide how we can move ahead with this,” he added.
The remarks from the CM come at a time when the demand to make Khasi and Garo the official languages of the state is gathering steam.
Meanwhile, Sangma denied reports that elections to Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) could be delayed. He said things are moving as per procedure.
“There is no delay. The process is being followed and we are moving as per procedure,” he said.
There is a perception that the polls might be delayed in view of the pending amendment to the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
“No report has come to me and no particular file has come to me in this regard and therefore, only when the file comes to me and to the DCA Minister (Prestone Tynsong), we will be able to comment. It all depends on the report that comes from the department,” he said.