SHILLONG, MAY 11: NPP candidate Dr DRL Nonglait on Monday launched his campaign for the Shillong Lok Sabha by-election from Nongshillong, Eastern West Khasi Hills, making constitutional recognition of the Khasi language his central poll plank.
The Khasi Authors Society president said his “final goal” is to take the demand for Eighth Schedule status to Delhi, arguing that lack of coordination between the state government and MPs has stalled the issue since 1992.
“The final goal is to go to Delhi,” Nonglait said.
“After carefully examining the proceedings of the Lok Sabha, since 1992 we have not found coordinated and mutual understanding between the Chief Minister and the MPs. Because of that, the demand for inclusion of Khasi in the Eighth Schedule has been stalled.”
He said Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma has now assured full cooperation. “This is the main reason and the issue I want to take to Parliament. Our Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has assured cooperation from now on,” he said.
“When the Chief Minister and the Cabinet take it seriously, and the MPs who go there take it seriously, with one strategy, one strength, one voice and one shared responsibility, one day we will be able to achieve inclusion of Khasi in the Eighth Schedule,” he added.
Nonglait, who has headed KAS for 14 years, cited securing official language status for Khasi in Meghalaya as a key milestone.
“We have now been able to make Khasi an official language of Meghalaya. Now we can write letters to the DC office in Khasi, whether the DC is a non-tribal or Khasi,” he said. He recalled the statehood movement of 1960, when Assam sought to impose Assamese across all districts, including the then united Khasi-Jaintia Hills.
“But after getting statehood, we forgot our language. This is a milestone of success but it is not the final goal,” he said.
Linking language status to job opportunities, Nonglait said Eighth Schedule inclusion would allow aspirants to write UPSC exams in Khasi.
“Once Khasi is included in the Eighth Schedule you will see a transformation. Just from constitutional recognition of Khasi, many IAS officers will emerge every year, IFS officers, ISS officers – because they will be able to take one UPSC paper in Khasi,” he said. “After making Khasi medium at the college level, they will be able to take all papers in their own language,” he added.
Nonglait also credited KAS members across party lines for promoting Khasi literature.
“The Khasi Authors Society is a society that works hard, works with body and soul. We need members from different parties in this society. I thank them all because we have worked hard to uplift our language and literature without any bias,” he said.
By Our Reporter
