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| Right move |
Jonai (Dhemaji), Jan. 19: The Bodo Sahitya Sabha is thinking of ways to introduce Bodo as a medium of instruction in Bengal schools, keeping in mind the fact that the state is home to over two lakh Bodo people.
The ways and means of implementing this will be discussed at the three-day 51st conference of Bodo Sahitya Sabha that begins at Chhekamari Madarihat in Bengal’s Jalpaiguri district this Sunday.
“Now, our task is to identify the schools where the language can be introduced. The West Bengal State Bodo Sahitya Sabha has already conducted a survey according to which we are in a position to introduce Bodo language in more than 40 schools in Jalpaiguri and Dargeeling districts,” Musahary said.
He said after the change of government in Bengal, they have been communicating with the new chief minister. “Our last discussion was scheduled to be held with chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Unfortunately, on that day, fire broke out at AMRI Hospitals, because of which the meeting was postponed,” he said.
This is the third time, after 1954 and 1970, that the Bodo Sahitya Sabha will hold its conference in Bengal.
There are two other major issues that will be discussed at this conference: introduction of Bodo as a modern Indian language in the colleges under North Bengal University and adopting a final stand on the ongoing controversies on the big dam.
Till now, Bodo language is taught in four universities in Assam.
In Gauhati University, it has a separate department.
Under the colleges in Dibrugarh University, it has been introduced as a major (honours) subject and within a year or two, a post-graduate course will be introduced. In the colleges under Assam University (Silchar), Bodo has been introduced as an elective subject and process is on to upgrade it into a major course.
The other university which has Bodo as a subject is the Bodoland University in Kojkrajhar.
On the dam issue, Musahary said: “People sometimes accuse us of being silent on the big dam. Instead of jumping into the bandwagon, we are observing the entire situation,” He said the Sahitya Sabha has asked the district members Dhemaji and Lakhimpur district committees to give a report on the issue which will be discussed at the conference.
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