RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Feb.19: Row over regional languages in Jharkhand, which was supposed to have been settled after the State government removed Bhojpuri and Magahi from the list of regional languages in Dhanbad and Bokaro, will take another turn.
This was reflected after a section of people shared their opinion taking its outcome.
A resident of Palamu Ashish Bhardwaj supported the observation.
“Palamu is part of Jharkhand. In Palamu people including tribals and non-tribals, all speak Bhojpuri. Then how come Bhojpuri is not a regional language. After the acceptance of the demand for removal of Bhojpuri from the list of regional languages a new dispute has arisen and the state government has to face its consequences,” Bhardwaj said.
A leader of Totemic Kurmi Morcha and a resident of Giridih, Thaneshwar Mahto, also supported the observation saying the state government has accepted the demand partially.
“We had demanded the removal of Urdu, Bangla and Oriya besides Bhojpuri and Magahi from the list of regional languages but the government just removed Bhojpuri and Magahi. Thus our struggle on the issue of regional languages will continue,” Mahto said.
An Ajsu party leader in Palamu, Abhishek Mishra, echoed the same.
“Khortha is not spoken anywhere in Palamu. Does it mean that it is not a regional language?,” he questioned, echoing the same voice.
Amid indication of new dispute, education minister Jagarnath Mahto, welcomed the decision of the government saying he has no words to praise the government.
“I had already shared my opinion on the issue of regional language and also raised the issue in the cabinet meeting. Apart from this, I had also communicated my feeling through a letter to Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The chief minister has promised me to take the matter seriously. I am happy that he has honoured his words. I do not have words to praise him,” Mahto said.
Parliamentary affairs minister Alamgir Alam gave a strategic reply. “Who won and who got defeated on the issue is not my concern. I am not interested in reviewing all this. The decision has been taken considering the sentiment of all. The outcome will be reviewed only after the 2024 election,” Alam said.
State finance minister and a Palamu resident Rameshwar Oraon also welcomed the decision saying he is with the government on the issue.
“It will not raise any dispute. Only those languages have been removed from the list of regional languages in Bokaro and Dhanbad which are not regional languages of the area. As far as Urdu is concerned, it was already a second language since Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar,” Oraon said.
Keeping a close eye on the development BJP state president and Rajya Sabha member Deepak Prakash said the attitude of the government on the issue of regional languages is dilly-dallying.
“BJP respects all languages. It loves assimilating regional languages. However, I am confused about taking Urdu. How come Urdu became a regional language? Government should formulate a language policy. The way it is notifying regional languages and then withdrawing it creates confusion among the people and controversy is getting created.” Prakash said.
A tribal leader, who does not want to be quoted, presents a different view. “The state has only five tribal and four regional languages. When JAAC was established in 1995, it had duly recognised the same nine tribal and regional languages but during the BJP rule the list was amended. As many as five new tribal languages and six regional languages were added to it. The controversy started from there and still continues. Till the restoration of the old list, it will continue,” the tribal leader said.
