International Mother Language Day: Dy CM advocates Manipuri language promotion
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 21 2013: Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam has called upon both the hill and valley communities to sustain efforts and contribute their mite in the development and promotion of Manipuri language.

speaking as the chief guest at the International Mother Language Day observance held today at Kangla Hall, Gaikhangam emphasised that development and promotion of Manipur's lingua franca should be the responsibility of all the indigenous communities settled in the State.

Highlighting that a well-developed mother language is an essential element for the overall progress of Manipur as a common medium of communication for different sections of the society would enhance cooperation and instill sense of oneness, he also affirmed that the Government of Manipur is committed to promoting the mother language.

Function underway with dignitaries

Suggesting that at the time of airing programmes through the AIR, Imphal linguistic-fusion should be avoided at all cost for even inadvertent utterance of non-local dialect would send the wrong signal to the listeners apart from diluting the mother language, Gaikhangam also stated that Manipuri language is heading towards the right direction of revival due to dedication and endeavour of language experts and scholars.

Elaborating on the benefits of mother language, he said that after inclusion of Manipuri Language in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution, candidates from Manipur are today able to appear in UPSC examinations in Manipuri.

Calling upon the younger generation to capitalise on the new-found opportunity, the Deputy CM regretted that manipuri students studying outside unable to read or write in Manipuri is an indication that they had been neglecting their own language.

With the recent setting up of a separate directorate of Manipuri Language, he opined that mere establishment of the directorate would not serve the purpose until and unless every section of the society, particularly the scholars, contribute their mite towards further enrichment of the mother language.

Thangmeiband AC MLA Kh Joykisan, who also attended the observance, elaborated on the concept of International Mother Language Day as a fallout of the 1952 movement in Bangladesh.

Expressing that reading and writing Manipuri should be mandatory for every student atleast at the school level, he also exuded confidence that the recent setting up the Directorate of Manipuri Language would boost development of the mother language.

As apart of the observance organised by Research Forum Manipur in collaboration with the State Council of Educational Research and Training Prof PC Thoudam deliberated on 'essential components for development/advancement of mother language' while Manipur University's associate professor Dr T Tampha elaborated on 'Mother Language: Its present and future'.

Meanwhile, All Manipur Intellectual Forum, All Manipur Democratic Women's Front and All Manipur Peasants' Union jointly observed the Day at the RIMS road conference hall of Marxists Learning Centre.

Manipuri Sahitya Parishad also observed the global event at its auditorium wherein Sahitya Akademi awardee RK Jhaljit spoke on the observance.