Madarihat (Jalpaiguri), Jan. 22: The Bodo Sahitya Sabha today said it would approach the Bengal government to introduce Bodo medium in primary schools that have a sizeable number of students from the indigenous community.

“Bodo-medium education is yet to be introduced here. Bodo people here have demanded that their children be educated in their mother tongue,” Kameswar Brahma, the president of the Sabha’s central committee, said on the second day of the organisation’s 51st annual conference at Madarihat Chhekamari.

The Sabha members said they would move the Centre, too, if needed. “We don’t think the government will oppose our demand. We need to present our case convincingly. Our children have the right to learn their mother tongue,” Brahma said.

The Bengal unit of the Sabha said they had demanded introduction of Bodo medium in 11 district primary schools that had over 60 per cent Bodo-speaking children.

“According to the recommendations of the government, we conducted a survey and found 11 schools with over 60 per cent Bodo-speaking children as of now. We have submitted a report and it is under verification,” the president of the Paschim Banga Bodo Sahitya Sabha, Nabin Chandra Mondol, said.

A seminar on the introduction of Bodo-medium education in Bengal under the right to education law was held later in the day. Sahitya Akademi winner Mangal Singh Hazowary chaired the seminar inaugurated by north Bengal development minister Gautam Deb.