[22 February, 2006] RAJYA SABHA # , . U ह 23 , 2005 (] R _ ह , ह a Gह “ The question was put and the motion was adopted. MATTER RAISED WITH PERMISSION Need to Declare Telugu as an Ancient and Classical Language MR. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: The Chairman has permitted only one person to speak. SHRIMATI VANGA GEETHA(Andhra Pradesh): Sir, the Telugu language has got history of more than 1000 years, but the Government of India is denying the status of ancient and classical language to Telugu. Nearly 15 crore people in our country speak Telugu which is the second widely spoken language after Hindi. The first Telugu word can be observed in Ikshavakulu Inscription and Nagenjuna inscription of 250A.D. contain Telugu words, which speaks of its ancient history. I submit that on 25.11.2005, the Central Government, by its Gazette Notification No. 4-14014/7/2004-N1-11, amended the notification dated 12.10.2004. Instead of declaring thousand years history, they declared that fifteen hundred years to two thousand years is necessary. Strangely, by this reasoning, even before Sanskrit, which is the mother of all Indian languages, was declared as an ancient language, it is pertinent to point out that in lathreya Brahmna (800 BC to 600 BC), in Ramayana, in Mahabharata and other mythological texts, there is a mention of Andhra People. Sir, finally, I request the Government of India to declared Telugu as Indian and classical language immediately by relaxing the standards from the present 2000 years to 1000 years keeping in mind the sentiments of the Telugu people. Thank you. SHRI RAVULA CHANDRA SEKAR REDDY (Andhra Pradesh): Sir, it is a long pending demand. SHRI DEBABRATA BISWAS (West Bengal): Sir, it is a long pending demand ...(Interruptions)... 173 RAJYA SABHA [22 February, 2006] MR. DEPUTY CHAIRMAN: Hon. Members, before we take up the Motion of Thanks, I would like to announce that the reply by the hon. Prime Minister to the Motion of Thanks is at 6.30 p.m. There are more than 18 Members to participate in the discussion. I request all the hon. Members to stick to the time allotted to their parties. Now, Shri Janeshwar Mishraji. MOTION OF THANKS ON PRESIDENT'S ADDRESS K 1 ,J K ()4 Z,): ^ ह, P ह a Zc H, ह ह K# Z ह, ह R R ह – H ह, 9 R ह – ^ह ह ह ^ह P ह, ^ ह ह, – H Z Z U ह ह ह # , ह ह Z ह ह ? c ह ह ह P a ह ह Z Z ह Z U ह, Z ह ह c ह ह 4 ह, ह ह Z ह, .G ह ह R ह ह c ह H Z Z U P - – ह c ह ह ह# – ह* ] ह ह, U ^ ह ह ह, * ह ह ह P ह , ह Z ह ह ह, ह ह Z ह ह ह ^ह , P ह – , ह – ह ह a ^ह ह – L ह ह – properly implemented, it can transform the life of common man'. ह G ह , 'If properly implemented' ह ह, c ह, ह K# c_ ह ह ह, ^ह Z U , ^ह ह *Expunged as ordered by the Chair. 174 .