From Our Correspondent
NONGPOH, April 14: The Khasi Authors’ Society (KAS) held a public meeting on Tuesday at the Umsning Town Dorbar (UTD) Auditorium to push for the recognition of Khasi as an official language of Meghalaya and its inclusion in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
Addressing the gathering, KAS president Prof DRL Nonglait criticised the state government’s lack of initiative, stating that official inaction has delayed the language’s constitutional recognition. He pointed out that languages like Bodo and Nepali were included in the Eighth Schedule because the governments of Assam and Sikkim, along with their respective MPs, took proactive steps.
Prof Nonglait noted that while Meghalaya’s MPs have raised the issue in Parliament, the process has stalled because the state government failed to formally pursue the matter with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
He suggested that Khasi would likely have been included by now had the State and central representatives worked in tandem.
Other speakers, including leaders from the KSU, CoRP, HNYF, and UPF, highlighted the need to preserve and promote the language. They argued that official status would strengthen the usage of Khasi in education, government administration, and public life. The meeting was attended by KAS general secretary Dr RP Kharshiing, UTD chairman Rocky Kylla, and students from various colleges.
