By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 14: Even as the controversy over Governor Phagu Chauhan’s scheduled address in the Assembly in Hindi is yet to die down, the Hynniewtrep Achik National Movement (HANM) on Wednesday joined the language row by urging Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma to permit members of the House to speak in Khasi and Garo.
A delegation of HANM members met the Speaker at his chamber to raise the demand.
Talking to reporters after the meeting, HANM president Lamphrang Kharbani said the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly permits the MLAs to speak in their local language.
He said allowing members to take part in the Assembly proceedings in Khasi and Garo will strengthen the demand for the inclusion of the two languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
He also reminded that the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly had passed a resolution on September 27, 2018, to urge the Government of India to include the two languages in the Eighth Schedule.
Kharbani, while appreciating the steps taken by the Speaker for translation of the Governor’s speech into English on the opening day of the Budget session on Friday, wanted a similar effort to facilitate the use of Khasi and Garo in the House.