Shillong: Meghalaya Congress Chief and MP Vincent H Pala criticized the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for merely “paying lip service” to the longstanding demand to include the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
Pala expressed his disappointment, stating, “While the government talks a lot about pushing this issue, in reality, the NPP, being an ally of the BJP, should be able to convey this demand effectively. The BJP included it in their manifesto, but there has been no progress on the matter.”
He further criticized the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government for not taking substantial action and, instead, offering only verbal assurances regarding this demand.
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Pala emphasized that the Khasi language is among the 38 languages awaiting recognition, and although there is strong advocacy from various quarters, he remains sceptical about the government’s commitment to actually recognizing it.
Notably, the Khasi Authors Society (KAS) has been at the forefront of the campaign to include the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. They recently held discussions with Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, urging him to write a follow-up letter to the Union Home Minister to expedite their demands.
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Promises from BJP leaders, including BJP national secretary co-in-charge of North East Rituraj Sinha, have also been made to support the cause, with assurances that the demand will be addressed once the BJP assumes power in Meghalaya.
The KAS even organized a protest in New Delhi to call upon the Central government to promptly include the Khasi language.