Demand for Khasi language in Eight Schedule

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Indigenous Khasi men and women, mostly students, on Saturday took out a rally in this mountainous state capital of Meghalaya demanding inclusion of the Khasi language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

Organised by Khasi Authors Society (KAS), the apex literary organisation for the indigenous Khasi-Jaintia people inhabiting in eastern part of Meghalaya, the rally was also participated by leaders of several political parties and social organisations.

The demand for inclusion of the Khasi language spoken by nearly 15 lakh people has been initiated in early 1970s.

On Friday, the Meghalaya Cabinet had decided to table an official resolution in Assembly during the ongoing Autumn Session of the Legislative Assembly to urge the Centre to include Khasi and Garo languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

"Khasi language is a subject of studies at Calcutta University, Guwahati University since the pre-independence period, which the British colonial rulers recognised the Khasi language more than any other tribal languages in the country," said Prof Antionette Kharmalki, who heads the Khasi department in the North Eastern Hills University.

--IANS

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