Why Is Bhoti Language Excluded from the 8Th Schedule?

ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

Why is Bhoti Language Excluded from the 8th Schedule?

GURMATH LOTOS

Gurmath Lotos is former MPhil student of Delhi University

The 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India contains the major languages of the country. Recently, Bodo, Dongri, Maithili and Santhali were added to it by the 92nd Amendment Act of 2003. However, the long-standing demand for the recognition and inclusion of the Bhoti language in the 8th Schedule has not been met. This article describes the impact its exclusion has on Bhoti speakers.

Language is not only a medium of communication but also reflects the culture and identity of a particular community. For instance, Gujarati language representing Gujarat and Kashmiri language representing Kashmir not only represents the territories but also their cultural identities and so on. Within a decade after independence, the country witnessed division of states purely on linguistic basis. Language has been a subject of heated debate throughout India since then. What Languages Does the 8th Schedule of the Constitution Recognise?

In India, though only 22 languages have been recognised by the Constitution of India, there are many other languages spoken in different parts of the country. When the Constitution came into being, there were only 14 languages recognised as national languages; but with the passage of time, certain amendments were carried out in the Constitution, and currently there are 22 languages recognised. The 8th Schedule of the Constitution contains the major ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

languages of the country. Recently, Bodo, Dongri, Maithili and Santhali were added to it by the 92nd Amendment Act of 2003. However, the long-standing demand for the recognition and inclusion of the Bhoti language in the 8th Schedule has not been met. Bhoti Should be Included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution

The Bhoti language is spoken across the regions of Ladakh in J&K up to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh. It is also spoken in some neighbouring countries; nonetheless it is facing a big problem of getting included in the 8th Schedule. Bhoti is not only spoken by Buddhists but also widely accepted by Muslims and Christians in the region. The Central Institute of Indian Language (CIIL), Mysore, conducted a survey in 2008 regarding Bhoti language spoken in the Himalayan areas, and have strongly recommended to the government of India to recognise Bhoti as a language to be included in the 8th Schedule. The Himalayan region has been demanding the inclusion of Bhoti language into the 8th Schedule of the Constitution since 1970s. Various delegations from the Himalayas have, from time to time, carried this issue to the President and sought his intervention, but the government has overtly and covertly brushed aside this genuine demand, thus discriminating against a minority community. Impacted On Its Speakers

The Bhoti language issue has become a playground for the "vote bank politics" for all political parties. Ever since the people raised the demand of inclusion of Bhoti language in the 8th Schedule, different governments have been in power but the demand still remains unattended to. The people of the region face various challenges, especially when they come to the plain areas for higher studies or competitive exams; they cannot take Hindi as a medium of language because their school structure doesn’t empower them to speak and write it well. Students in Bhoti-speaking areas have to study more than four languages in school as subjects: firstly their mother- tongue; secondly, Hindi; thirdly, the state language, and finally English. These languages are imposed on them and the poor students do not excel in any of them. There are very few Himalayans in the bureaucratic set-up at the centre and academic posts of the government. The main reason is that the competitive exams in which one has to choose one of the 22 languages in the 8th Schedule, because Bhoti is not an option, they cannot cope up.

Since the mother-tongue is not included in the 8th Schedule, one wonders when “Ache Din” will come to the Himalayan region. Will the Bhoti language ever become the 23rd language of India? We talk of equality and justice for all a lot, but in reality there is still discrimination on the ground. With the exclusion from the mainstream language, not recognising the language in which they can express themselves freely, their difficulties are compounded all the more. ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846