Rajasthani: The Congress government in Rajasthan has appointed a committee to consider declaring Rajasthani the second official language of the State. The committee will study the model of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand for recognition of their native languages, and submit a report on the line of action taken in those States.
At present, Hindi written in Devanagri script is recognised as the official language under the Rajasthan Official Language Act, 1956. The work in the Panchayati Raj Department, the Cooperative Department, the Directorate of Education, the municipal bodies and the Assembly section of the Law Department is compulsorily done in Hindi language.
The State government’s action follows a prolonged movement, spearheaded mainly by the Rajasthani Yuva Samiti, which had raised the demand for the introduction of a Bill on the subject in the Assembly’s Budget Session. The Samiti had pointed to the benefits associated with the recognition of Rajasthani for growth, social harmony and employment.
Incorporating Rajasthani
Education Minister B.D. Kalla made the announcement for the committee’s formation while replying to a calling attention motion moved by Deputy Leader of the Opposition Rajendra Rathore during Zero Hour in the Assembly over the week-end. Mr. Kalla said an amendment would be made based on the committee’s report to the 1956 Act in order to make Rajasthani the official language.
Inclusion in the constitution
The successive governments in the State have been requesting the Centre to incorporate Rajasthani in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, while the Assembly had passed a unanimous resolution in 2003 for this. In his letter addressed to the Prime Minister in 2019, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had referred to the Sitakant Mohapatra Committee’s recommendation in this regard.