Status quo on Manipuri language shocks Sanajaoba
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, October 04 2024: Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba, who is also the titular king of Manipur, expressed deep disappointment over the Union cabinet ignoring the need for granting Manipuri classical language status.

On Thursday, the Union cabinet accorded classical language status to five languages - Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali - leaving out Manipuri, which had been under consideration.

Sanajaoba took to social media to express his emotions and dismay over the exclusion of Manipuri language.

In a heartfelt post on Facebook, the MP shared his sentiments about the missed opportunity, stating that he had been working diligently for years to secure classical status for the Manipuri language.

In his post, Sanajaoba wrote: "I am very EMOTIONAL & SHOCKED today.

Union Cabinet has approved recognition of five more languages - Assamese, Bengali, Marathi, Pali & Prakrit as CLASSICAL.

I have been trying to include our Manipuri language in the classical status for the last 4/5 years but due to lack of POLITICAL PRESSURE, LOBBY & INACTIVE from our side, we have lost a golden chance this time.

Very very emotional today, but I will keep trying my level best to include my mother language in the status of classical till my last day of tenure.

Seeking cooperation of all the concerns to succeed this attempt" .

The MP's words reflect not only his personal disappointment but also the broader sentiment shared by many in Manipur, who have long sought recognition for the language.

Manipuri (also known as Meeteilon) holds immense cultural and historical importance for the people of the state, and the push for its inclusion in the classical language list has been ongoing for several years.

Sanajaoba indicated that despite this setback, he remains determined to continue his efforts.

He emphasised that the lack of political support and inadequate lobbying from Manipur were key factors behind the failure to secure the classical language status this time around.

However, he vowed to keep pushing for the inclusion of Manipuri until the end of his term as a Member of Parliament.

The recognition of a language as classical in India is significant, as it provides certain benefits, including funding for language research, increased academic focus, and international prestige.

With this latest round of recognition, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali join the ranks of Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Odia as classical languages.

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