Meghalaya CM Bats for Inclusion of Khasi and Garo Language in 8th Schedule

SHILLONG: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday spoke in Khasi and Garo Language in the assembly thus sending a message to the center for the inclusion of Khasi and Garo Language in the 8th schedule of the Constitution of India. 

Sangma asked the speaker of the house Metbah Lyngdoh's permission to speak in both Khasi and Garo languages and also said that the members can speak and discuss or debate in both these languages to send a strong message to the center that they want these languages to join the list of 22 other languages in the 8th schedule of the constitution. 

Sangma while speaking briefly about the inclusion of these two languages said, "The inclusion of these two languages in the 8th schedule is not just about inclusion in the first place, it is actually a message that the government of India recognizes the identity of the people in Meghalaya"

It is to be noted here that according to the census of 2011 there are more than 13 lakh Khasi speakers in Meghalaya and 9 lakh speak the Garo language. 

Article 29 of the constitution states that a section of citizens having a distinct language, script, or culture has the right to conserve the same. According to this article both Khasi and Garo language qualify to be included in the list of 22 other languages in the 8th schedule.

Notably, under the Meghalaya State Legislature Act 2005, Garo and Khasi have already been declared associate official languages.

Khasi is an Austro-Asiatic language spoken primarily among the tribe in Meghalaya and some hilly areas in Karbi Anglong in Assam. 

While, Garo is a Tibeto-Burmese language of the Boro-Jingpko group, spoken in four states of the northeast namely Meghalaya, Assam, Tripura, and Nagaland.

The Central Government is hesitating to include these two languages in the 8th schedule because both Khasi and Garo do not have their own script.

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