AS INTRODUCED IN LOK SABHA Bill No. 74 of 2018 THE CONSTITUTION (AMENDMENT) BILL, 2018 By SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE, M.P. A BILL further to amend the Constitution of India. BE it enacted by Parliament in the Sixty-ninth Year of the Republic of India as follow:— 1. This Act may be called the Constitution (Amendment) Act, 2018. Short title. 2. In the Eighth Scheduled to the Constitution, existing entries 5 to 22 shall be Amendment of renumbered as entries 6 to 23, respectively and before entry 6 as so renumbered, the following the Eighth Schedule. 5 entry shall be inserted, namely:— “5. Gondi”. 1 STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS Our Country is a multilingual country. At present twenty-two languages being spoken and written by our citizens have only been recognised in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India. These languages represent the culture of a specific region. A person learns most of the things through his mother tongue only. Language is the light of knowledge. But it is unfortunate that despite the fact that crores of people in the States of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Vidarbha region of Maharashtra along with tribal community use the ‘Gondi’ language, yet it is not included in Eight Schedule to the Constitution so far. Gondi Language is struggling hard to maintain its existence and dignity. The glory of a society or country is established by the language in which its literature is written. If we go through the history of Gondi language, we are able to know that the Gondi Community has its own history of almost fifteen hundred years which is the oldest one worldwide. In nutshell, Gondi language and its dialect is in vogue since 12-13 BC and being used in written and conversation form, respectively. Even rockediets, vision letters, certificates and royal orders were prepared in Gondi language. Gondi language has a special contribution in the development of Indian literature, history and way of life. Apart from abundant literature, Gondi language is the voice of expression for our glorious culture. Gondi language is the monther tongue of Gondi area that spreads over a vast territory of the States of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha area of Maharashtra, West Bengal Jharkhand and Bihar. The total number of people speaking Gondi language in the area of thousands of square kilometres in most of the districts of frontier States is approximately six crores. Many times, demand for inclusion of Gondi language in Eighth Schedule to the Constitution has been raised by ordinary people, Gond people of the aforesaid States and even public representatives have been raising this demand. Therefore, keeping in view the emotions of people speaking Gondi language in different areas of different States covered by gondwana region, Gondi language should be included in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution. Inclusion of Gondi language in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution would not only conserve and save Gondi language but also preserve and encourage folk dances, folk songs, folk traditions, nature worship and other cultural heritage. Hence this Bill. NEW DELHI; FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE February 8, 2018 2 ANNEXURE EXTRACT FROM THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA EIGHTH SCHEDULE [Articles 344(1) and 351] Languages 1. Assamese. 2. Bengali. 3. Bodo. 4. Dogri. 5. Gujarati. 6. Hindi. 7. Kannada. 8. Kashmiri. 9. Konkani. 10. Maithili. 11. Malayalam. 12. Manipuri. 13. Marathi. 14. Nepali. 15. Oriya. 16. Punjabi. 17. Sanskrit. 18. Santhali. 19. Sindhi. 20. Tamil. 21. Telugu. 22. Urdu. * * * * * * 3 LOK SABHA ———— A BILL further to amend the Constitution of India ———— (Shri Faggan Singh Kulaste, M.P.) MGIPMRND—4177LS(S3)—05-03-2018..