NEW DELHI: The demand for granting “official language” status to Bhojpuri, a widely spoken dialect in Bihar, has gained momentum with the opposition Mahagathbandhan voicing its strong support.
Leaders from the RJD, Congress, and CPI(ML) Liberation, all members of the Mahagathbandhan have pledged to raise the matter in the Parliament.
This renewed push came after the Union Cabinet’s decision to grant classical language status to Marathi, Bengali, Pali, Prakrit, and Assamese, adding to the previously recognised Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia.
CPI(ML) Liberation’s Lok Sabha MP Sudama Prasad highlighted Bhojpuri’s significant use in various Bihar districts and parts of Jharkhand. Prasad questioned, “Why is the Centre silent on inclusion of Bhojpuri in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution?”
Currently, the 8th Schedule of the Constitution includes 22 languages. Initially, it listed 14 languages, with 8 more added over time.
The ministry of home affairs mentions that 38 more languages, including Bhojpuri, are proposed for inclusion.
Prasad called on the Bihar government to formally request the central government for Bhojpuri’s official language status. “We will raise this issue in the coming session of parliament,” he added.
RJD’s Buxar MP Sudhakar Singh accused the NDA governments at both state and central levels of neglecting Bhojpuri speakers. “We demand immediate inclusion of Bhojpuri in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution,” Singh stated.
Congress leader Sanjay Kumar Tiwary alias Munna Tiwary emphasised the long-standing nature of this demand, saying, “Scheduled status brings certain advantages to a language. It makes it mandatory for the government to take measures for the development of a scheduled language so that it grows and becomes an effective means of communication in due course of time.”
In response, parliamentary affairs minister in Bihar, Vijay Kumar Chaudhary said that demands for official language status must be substantiated with facts.
“No one can deny official language status to any language if the demand is based on substantial facts,” Chaudhary said.