BJD demands inclusion of Ho, Mundari language in 8th scheduled of Constitution
By Sukanta Kumar Mohanty
BHUBANESWAR, MARCH 20: Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Saturday demanded inclusion of two tribal languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
Briefing a presser in Bhubaneswar, BJD MLAs Soumya Ranjan Patnaik and Basanti Hembram and party’s general secretary Shreemayee Mishra pleaded for inclusion of ‘Ho’ and ‘Mundari’ — the two languages widely used by people belonging to the scheduled tribe group — in the Eighth Schedule of Indian Constitution.
“The fight for languages has been continuing in Odisha since the British period. All the political parties in their respective poll manifestoes had promised to raise their demand before the Centre for inclusion of tribal languages in Eighth Schedule of Constitution, but no initiative was made by them after elections. However, the BJD has completed the constitutional process and we will meet the President in this regard,” Mr Patnaik said.
Lawmaker Basanti Hembram said, “As many as 30 lakh people in the country and 10 lakh in Odisha use Ho language. The tribal language will extinct if it did not get status in the Constitution.”
Along with 13 near-extinct tribes, total 62 tribes are living in Odisha. They have been demanding the Odisha government for inclusion of Ho and Mundari languages in the Constitution since a long period. In this connection, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had written to the Centre twice seeking inclusion of two tribal languages in eighth schedule of the Constitution, the party stated.
The BJD mentioned that Ho is the mother tongue of around 10 lakh people residing in Odisha and Jharkhand. Similarly, more than six lakh people belonging to Munda and Mundari tribes speak Mundari as their dialect.
Stressing on significance of Koshali language, BJD general secretary Shreemayee Mishra termed it as a ‘sweet’ dialect.
“Around 75 lakh people speak Koshali. Even the epics like Ramayan and Mahabharat have been written in Koshali too. It amuses mind,” Ms Mishra said.
She also demanded the Union Government to include Koshali in Eghth Schedule of the Constitution.
