NEFIS condemns non-inclusion of 8th Schedule Bodo language in CTET exam
Source: IT News
Imphal, February 13 2019:
North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) activists along with the students and youth from North-East as well as different parts of the country today held a protest demonstration against BJP government at the centre.
The protest was organized against the discriminatory step of non-inclusion of Bodo language among the languages offered as medium of examination in the CTET exam, which is being conducted by CBSE.
NEFIS Assam Unit had also organized a massive protest in Kokrajhar, Assam where thousands of students, teachers and common people participated.
At Delhi, an effigy of Union HRD Ministry was also burnt in protest.
It should be noted that the Bodo language is included in the 8th Schedule of Indian Constitution, which lists the recognized major languages used by the people across the country.
Exclusion of Bodo language from the CTET exam which includes 20 of 22 languages of the list amounts to a blatant attempt at discriminating against one of the most deprived communities of the country.
A delegation also submitted a memorandum to the Union HRD Minister on the issue.
Important to note is the fact that the step of not including Bodo as a medium of examination would penalize the students of the state government-run schools, where it is used as a medium of instruction.
In the CTET exam which is being conducted by the CBSE it is not allowed as a medium of examination which shows BJP's utter disregard for the students of marginalized backgrounds.
The demonstration was organized to also protest against the tabling of communal Citizenship Amendment Bill, 2016 in Rajya Sabha by the BJP government today despite widespread opposition against it.
The activists of NEFIS condemned the communal bill and tied black bands on mouths to convey that people have no say vis-�-vis BJP government's policies.
The bill, it should be noted, permits the minorities of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan to become citizens of India.
The communal angle here is starkly evident from the fact that the minorities from only three countries have been given space in the current bill, while the minorities from other neighbouring countries have been consciously kept out of the scope of the bill.
The proposed bill is premised on the religious persecution of non-Muslim minorities in neighbouring Muslim majority countries, and deliberately elides the question of providing asylum to persecuted minorities of other countries.
NEFIS has resolved to further intensify its struggle, against BJP government's anti-people policies in the coming days.
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