Shillong, Nov 8: Cabinet Minister Marcuise N Marak has said the government is pursuing with the Centre for inclusion of Garo and Khasi languages in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India.
“The CM is very serious. In fact, the home secretary was also saying that everytime he goes to Delhi he will try to drop in there also and he has been enquiring every now and then so that pressure is on. The pressure is sincerely put up by the chief minister. He had also met the home minister several times,” Marak told reporters on Wednesday.
Marak was part of the delegation led by NPP Tura MP Agatha K Sangma and Speaker Thomas A Sangma which met the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) officials as follow up on the status of the proposal for inclusion of Garo language in the Eighth Schedule. The members of the Achik Literature Society (ALS) was also present.
The minister informed that the MHA joint secretary had informed the delegation that Garo language is also one among the 38 languages, which are waiting for the consideration by the Government of India.
“They never omitted or deleted any language which has applied for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule. Accordingly, the joint secretary of MHA has assured us that he will send the letter that it is already there in the list for consideration and that you don’t have to worry and the letter will be sent to the ALS and chief minister as well,” he said.
Marak said the delegation had also tried to meet Union home minister Amit Shah for his intervention but could not because he was busy visiting neighbouring states.
