SHILLONG, Feb 19: The Voice of the People Party MLA from North Shillong, Adelbert Nongrum has again raked up the issue of Governor Phagu Chauhan addressing the Assembly in Hindi.
Speaking in Khasi while taking part in the general discussion on the Governor’s address during the ongoing Budget session on Monday, Nongrum repeatedly said the Governor should not have spoken in Hindi.
The VPP legislator said there are two significant things that they cannot overlook in the Governor’s address on the opening day of the Budget session – his address in Hindi and his failure to read the entire text prepared by the government.
“I have not come across any provision in the Constitution of India, or in the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the Assembly that specifically allows for more than what the Governor has delivered in his address to the House. And so it is open to doubt and controversy if this House can consider the entire text of what the government has prepared and adopt it verbatim,” he said.
Nongrum further said he would not bother to debate the content of the text that was circulated to the MLAs during the address of the Governor, as it may not conform to what constitutes an address by the Governor under Article 176 of the Constitution.
He cited instances in other state legislatures where the Governor did not read the full text prepared by the respective government due to various reasons.
“In West Bengal, the Governor pleaded to read only the first line and last line; in Kerala, the Governor skipped portions of the text prepared; and most recently in Tamil Nadu, the Governor refused to read the prepared text. Whatever be the incident, the underlying reason has been that there are differences between the policies of that state government and the Centre,” Nongrum said.
He, however, said he would not like to speculate on what the differences could be in the case of Meghalaya.
Nongrum said he would instead like to discuss the Governor’s address in Hindi.
“Allow me to clear the air on what the fuss was all about, when I along with other MLAs of my party objected to the Governor addressing this august House in Hindi,” he said.
He said Hindi is the official language of the Union government under Article 343(1) of the Constitution of India. He also said English continues to be used for all official purposes of the Union government and in Parliament under the Official Languages Act of 1963.
“We should know that the Constitution of India has not prescribed any national language. There is no national language of India, only official languages,” he said while pointing out that Rule 28 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business for the state Assembly specifies the transaction of business in English.
Nongrum said the Proviso to Rule 28 allows a member to address the Assembly in his or her mother tongue when the English version of the intended speech is made over to the Speaker and copies are circulated to the members.
“I wish to point out that the Governor is not a member of the House and that Proviso of Rule 28 is not for the Governor. Hence, it was clear to my understanding, and to many others as well, that there would be an issue as to what the official language of the Union government is represented by the Governor, may not be the official language in the proceedings of this Assembly of the state legislature,” he said.
He said: “So when we, in common knowledge, are all earnestly working under the legislative framework of the same Constitution of India, I ask Mr. Speaker, Sir, why does the Union of India not recognize that there is a need to appoint a Governor whose language competency shall not be a hurdle for harmonious Centre-state relations here in Meghalaya.”
The VPP legislator said they do not forget the proud history of the Hill State Movement, how Garo and Khasi brothers and sisters bravely and unitedly took a stand when a non-native language was imposed as an official language upon the people and territory that is today Meghalaya.
“Elsewhere around the country, other than in North India, Hindi does not have a chance of being accepted and adopted as an official language of the states. There has been a steep resistance to Hindi, for decades, and will continue so for years to come,” he said.
Stating that the length and breadth of India cannot be painted with one colour, he said that there is diversity in states, and this beautiful uniqueness has to be appreciated and respected.
“So don’t get me wrong and don’t be surprised when I object to the Governor addressing this august House in Hindi. I am not speaking at a street corner or giving sound bites to the press and media, I am doing it right here in this very august House; because it is an issue that the people I represent are sensitive to, it is an issue that needs to be considered with care,” he added.
On Friday, the Governor addressed the Assembly in Hindi and did not read the full text due to his ill health. Assembly Speaker Thomas A Sangma said the speech be considered as read.
The opposition VPP raised objections to the Governor’s address in Hindi.
VPP chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit expressed dissatisfaction, advocating for a Governor who can speak a language commonly understood by the people of Meghalaya.
