BJD Seeks Inclusion of Three Tribal Languages in 8th Schedule of Constitution

New Delhi: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Friday demanded inclusion of three tribal languages spoken in Odisha in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Raising the issue in Rajya Sabha, BJD MP Dr. Sasmit Patra asked the Central Government to take necessary steps for inclusion of Ho, Mundari and Bhumij languages in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Language is extremely important as ethnic identity, the BJD MP said.

With a Scheduled Tribe population of over 22.85 per cent, Odisha is home to 62 tribal communities, including 13 Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG), Patra informed the House.

He said, “Inclusion of Ho, Mundari and Bhumij languages will go a long way in fulfilling the long-standing demands and aspirations of the tribal communities speaking these three languages in Odisha”.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had written in this regard to the Home Affairs Minister of India earlier and requested the inclusion of these three languages in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution, the BJD MP said.

Ho language is spoken by nearly 10 lakh tribal people living in Odisha and Jharkhand. After Santhali, which has already been included in 8th Scheduled , Ho is the second most widely spoken tribal language in Odisha. Mundari is spoken by more than six lakh people belonging to the Munda and Mundari tribes of Odisha. Bhumij is spoken by about three lakh people. These are some tribal languages in Odisha which highly deserve to be included in the 8th Schedule of Constitution, he said.