RS rejection of Mizo Language Bill upset Mizo academicians

Aizawl, Apr 29 (UNI) The Rajya Sabha's (RS) rejection of the bill to include Mizo language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution has upset the entire academic community here.

''The rejection of the Mizo Language bill is very upsetting, it can be termed as the Centre's ill-treatment towards the Mizo people.

Mizo language, being its official language, deserves to be included in the Eighth Schedule,'' head of the department of Mizo Language Prof Laltluahgliana said.

Mizo language is at present offered as one of the major subjects in the post-graduate degree course.

Mr Khiiangte, also General Secretary of the Mizo Academy of Letters, said, apart from Mizoram, Mizo language was widely spoken in Manipur's Churachandpur district, Jampui Hills in Tripura and Upper Myanmar.

''The population of Mizo-speaking people is more than 20 lakhs, larger than those of some other languages which are in the Eighth Schedule,'' he added.

Supporting him, Mizo Academy of Letters President Lalthangfala Sailo said, ''During the Mizoram Insurgency period, the Centre kept on asking us to join the Indian mainstream. Inclusion of the Mizo language, which is one of the major Indian languages, is one of the ways Mizos can join the mainstream. If inclusion of Mizo language in the Eighth Schedule is rejected, we can say we are not accepted as Indian citizens.'' The RS has rejected the Bill on grounds that the Centre has no intention to include any more languages in the Eighth Schedule.

Minister of State for Home, Prakash Jaiswal, informed the House that there were demands for similar status for 37 languages of India.

The Mizoram MP's bill was supported by Asom Congress MP Silvius Condpan and CPI-M's MP Matilal Sarkar.

However, surprisingly, the Mizo Zirlai Paul(MZP), the state's largest students' body, has always been against inclusion of Mizo language bill in the Eighth Schedule. The MZP is of the opinion that inclusion of the Mizo language would invite abolition of the inner line permit which is restricting the plain people from settling in Mizoram.

UNI