Ranchi, Sep 1 (IANS) Bhojpuri and Maithili-speaking people in Jharkhand have sharply reacted for their languages not being accorded second language status in the state.
The Jharkhand cabinet accorded this status to 11 languages, including Bangla and Oriya, two days ago. The other nine are tribal dialects. The list of such languages now totals 12 along with Urdu.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership is also in favour of according Bhojpuri this status.
‘Bhojpuri is spoken in a large part of the state,’ P.N. Singh, BJP Lok Sabha member from Dhanbad, told IANS. ‘We will take up the issue with the state government.’
Bhojpuri organizations have expressed resentment too. They claim that more than 40 per cent population of the state speaks Bhojpuri and questioned the wisdom behind including Oriya.
‘The government should come out with the criteria of according second language status to any language,’ a member of Akhil Bhojpuri Sangh said.
Similarly, Maithil organizations have been critical of Maithili’s exclusion. They claim that nearly 20 per cent population of the state speaks the language.
‘Maithili is spoken in large part of the state,’ Jharkhand Maithili Manch president Sripal Jha said Thursday. ‘We are feeling cheated.’
