OdishaPlus Bureau
In a Special Mention in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) raised demand for inclusion of three major tribal languages spoken in Odisha in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
There is a need for including three major tribal languages — Ho, Mundari and Bhumij — in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution as language plays important role for ethnic identity said BJD MP Sasmit Patra.
“With a Scheduled Tribe population of over 22.85 percent, Odisha is home to 62 tribal communities, including 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG). Inclusion of Ho, Mundari and Bhumij languages will go a long way in fulfilling the long-standing demands and aspirations of the tribal communities speaking these three languages in Odisha,” Patra said.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had written a letter to the Union Home Minister in this regard last year and requested for inclusion of these three languages in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution, he added.
Ho, the second most widely spoken tribal language after Santhali is spoken by nearly 10 lakh tribal people living in Odisha and Jharkhand. Mundari is spoken by more than six lakh people belonging to the Munda and Mundari tribes, while Bhumij is spoken by about three lakh people, Patra informed.
“These are some tribal languages in Odisha which highly deserve to be included in the 8th Schedule of Constitution,” Patra demanded to add that the Union Government should take necessary steps for inclusion of Ho, Mundari and Bhumij languages in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution at the earliest.