New Delhi: Biju Janata Dal MP Dr. Sasmit Patra in a Special Mention in the Rajya Sabha yesterday evening again raised the demand for inclusion of Ho, Mundari, Bhumij, Kui and Saora languages in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Reiterating that Odisha Government and the Odisha State Cabinet through unanimous resolutions have repeatedly resolved for the inclusion of these languages in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution, Dr. Patra demanded that the Government of India should consider this request earnestly.
Representing the stand of the Biju Janata Dal, Dr. Patra said that language is extremely important as an ethnic identity and with a Scheduled Tribe population of over 22.85 percent in Odisha, with 62 tribal communities and including 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs), the inclusion of Ho, Mundari, Bhumij, Kui and Saora languages will go a long way in fulfilling the long-standing demands of the tribal people of Odisha. Dr. Patra further stated that the Special Development Councils (SDCs) across 23 districts of Odisha have tremendously helped in the protection, preservation and conservation of tribal culture and heritage of Odisha. However, the inclusion of these five tribal languages which highly deserve to be included in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution will go a long way in furthering the development and reaffirmation of the identity and heritage of these tribal communities in the State of Odisha and across various states of the country where they are present.