Jharkhand assembly disrupted over language row

The proceedings of the Jharkhand assembly were disrupted Friday over the issue of excluding Bhojpuri and Maghi languages from the teachers' examination in the state.

Ruling Congress legislator K.N. Tripathy raised the issue in the assembly against the state government move to exclude Bhojpuri and Maghi languages from teachers' training examination.

The assembly was adjourned for five minutes following pandemonium. But the ruling and opposition parties' legislators continued protesting against the state government's decision even after the house re-assembled.

The Jharkhand cabinet in 2007 had included many local languages, including Bhojouri and Maghi, in the teachers' examination for recruitment.

Jharkhand HRD Minister Geetasri Oraon, according to local media reports, directed officials to exclude Bhojpuri and Maghi from the exam. The decision was taken on the ground that both the languages are not in the eight schedule of the constitution.

"There are many language like Ho, Kurmali and others included in the teachers' examination which are not in the eight schedule (of constitution). We demand that the 2007 cabinet decision should be followed in the teachers' appointments," said Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Raghubar Das.

Hemlal Murmu of Jharkhand Mukti Mocha (JMM) said: "First define the domicile policy then start recruitment process."

"The state government should not divide people in the name of language," said Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P) legislator Pradeep Yadav.

Later talking to reporters, Jharkhand Labour Minister Chandra Shekhar Dubey said: "Bhojpuri and Maghi should not be excluded from the teachers' examination. We will not allow this."

The house was adjourned three times on the issue.

In Jharkhand, Chief Minister Hemant Soren of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha is running the government with the support of the Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal, and some independent legislators.