The Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government on Friday decided to table an official resolution in Assembly during the ongoing Autumn Session of the Legislative Assembly to urge the Centre to include Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
The five-day Autumn Session of the 10th Meghalaya Assembly began on Friday with the introduction of various government bills and paying respect to various political leaders including former Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee by members of the House.
After the Cabinet meeting in Shillong on Friday evening, Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong told reporters that the Cabinet has approved to table the resolution in the House in support of the demand to include Khasi and Garo languages in the Eight Schedule and pursue the demand with the Centre.
Tynsong said that the two local languages prominent in Meghalaya which required official recognition in the country.
On the need to form a committee for an in-depth study on Garo language, Tynsong said that the government would first table the resolution in Assembly and get it passed, and then take a call on such requirement.
In 2005, the Meghalaya Assembly passed the Meghalaya Language Act which recognized Khasi and Garo as the State’s associate official languages.
English also continued to be the official language till date as no other language links the Khasi, Jaiñtia and the Garo communities.
The demand to include Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule has been pending for many years.
The Meghalaya government had in the past constituted a committee which comprised of experts, particularly linguists who carried out works in order to get Khasi language listed in the Eight Schedule.
The Khasi language has fulfilled almost all criteria laid down by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
The Khasi Authors’ Society will also take out a big rally in Shillong on Saturday to pressurize the State and the Centre to push its demand to include the Khasi language in the Eight Schedule.