Shillong, March 14: The demand for getting Khasi language listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution figured in Meghalaya Assembly today.
HSPDP legislator Witting Mawsor, during question hour, asked the state government about the status of the initiative taken to include the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule.
Meghalaya arts and culture minister Ronnie V. Lyngdoh informed the House that a committee to look into the issue, which had been notified on November 28, 2014, had submitted its recommendations to the state government's political department on November 14 last year.
Mawsor asked if the state Sahitya Akademi had been formed as a step towards getting Khasi language included in the Eighth Schedule and whether members could also speak in Khasi in the House to promote the language.
The Mawshynrut MLA also questioned the state government over the exclusion of Khasi as a subject from the list of compulsory modern Indian languages (MIL) for students appearing in board exams in the state, when people were demanding the promotion and recognition of the language.
The minister said the issue related to exclusion of Khasi from the compulsory list of modern Indian languages lies with the education department. Other Opposition members also questioned the state government over the delay in getting Khasi language included in the Eighth Schedule.
United Democratic Party MLA Jemino Mawthoh pointed out that the demand for inclusion of the Khasi language started in the early 1970s.
He pointed out that other languages like Nepali, Konkani, Assamese, Bodo, Santhali and Manipuri had found their way into the Eighth Schedule, but not Khasi.
Independent legislator Saleng A. Sangma sought to know if the state government was also pursuing the inclusion of Garo and Jaintia languages in the Eighth Schedule.
The arts and culture minister said preliminary work was on for inclusion of Garo.
Saleng said any benefit that came to the state should be used for the promotion of languages of the three major tribes of the state - Khasi, Garo and Jaintia.
