Demand for inclusion of Kurukh language in 8th Schedule of the Constitution

From a Correspondent

DIMAKUCHI, Feb 5: A three-day conference was convened at Sikaribungalow at St. Mary’s Church playground by the All Kurukh Students’ Union in collaboration with AKSU central committee of Assam. The conference ended on Sunday.

The chief guest of the semir was Rajya Sabha MP Santiuse Kujur who laid emphasis on the inclusion of the age-old Kurukh language (Oran) in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution and elaborately explained the history and the linguistic origin of the language. Kujur reminded the people that the Oran community people mostly lived in the Andaman Nicobar island and Assam. They came to the Northeast, particularly Assam, during the British rule in India. The MP said that the ethnic community of Kurukh had been deprived of its linguistic right of language and culture, particularly in Assam and Andaman. He appealed to the people of the community to be unified and raise their demand for the inclusion of the language in the Constitution and to stay away from politicizing the issue further.

Bir Singh Munda, chief of Birsha Commando Force, while speaking in the semir held under the chairmanship of James Tirkey, the vice-president of AKSSA, said that the Dravidian community of Kurukh people had begun to come into Assam no less than two centuries back and settled in different parts of the State. Munda said emphatically that the Oran community people were very amiable and meek and could easily adapt to any environment and live peacefully without being hostile to other ethnic community people. Birsha Munda further said that people with vested interests should not try to give colour or try to politicize the issues of the Oran community people or they would have to face the rage of the community.

To demand ST status for the community, a 12-hour rail blockade and 100-hour highway blockade have been announced. In the open session of the semir, Stefan Lakra, president of ASSAA, Adivasi Development Council chairman Raphael Kujur and AKSSA secretary Alex Minj were present.

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