Darjeeling: With social media in Darjeeling Hills going on the overdrive with news over alleged ‘forceful imposition of Bengali’, bitter reactions began to pour in, a reminder of the 2017 agitation that had spawned over this issue.
Even before any official notification by the state government, Raju Bista, BJP MP from Darjeeling, was quick to react stating: “Imposing Bengali as a compulsory language in all private medium schools in the state goes against the tenets of Article 14 and 15 of the Constitution.”
However, Trinamool Congress (TMC) said that BJP was trying to disturb peace and tranquility in the Hills for their own political gains.
“It is yet another attempt to mislead people and foment trouble. They want to disturb peace and tranquility in the Hills for their own political gains, yet again. The state government is not imposing Bengali,” said TMC Rajya Sabha MP Shanta Chhetri.
Incidentally, the state Cabinet had given its nod to the State Education Policy (SEP) on Monday. On Tuesday, news regarding Bengali being made a mandatory subject started doing rounds on social media. While some claimed that it would be made a compulsory second language in private schools, others claimed it would be made a compulsory subject in all schools.
Rajesh Chauhan, Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabhasad in-charge of education stated: “There is no government notification on this. Everything is on hearsay. Clause 26 (v) of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Act, 2011 clearly states that education is under the GTA and it’s a transferred subject. The state will not take any decision for the GTA area without consultation. It could be for other districts but not for the GTA area. It will not be implemented here.”
Incidentally, in 2017, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha president Bimal Gurung had spawned an agitation declaring that TMC-led Bengal was forcefully imposing Bengali language in the Hills.
However, there was no official notification on this and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on multiple occasions, had assured that there were no such plans. The agitation turned violent and culminated in a 105-day-long bandh, with Gurung and his close aides going underground.
Bengal Education minister Bratya Basu, on Tuesday, announced that students have the freedom to choose their first language and the state government will not interfere.
“A student can choose the first language as per his or her choice. In Kolkata, you can choose Bengali and in Darjeeling, you can choose Nepali as your first language, if you wish. In certain regions of the state, students can choose Alchiki or Rajbanshi as their first language, or even Urdu,” Basu said. The state will not impose Bengali as the second language also.
“The second and third languages will depend on the population pattern and ethnic profile of people living in the particular region. The second and third language will entirely hinge on the population pattern and ethnicity driven demographic factors,” explained the Education minister.
“Imposing Bengali as a compulsory language to be learnt by all, the TMC government is undermining all other mother tongues that are indigenous to the state.
Once again, the TMC government in Bengal is using language as a tool for dividing the citizens of the state. I appeal to the TMC government not to fan flames and not undermine the mother tongues of indigenous communities. I request them to immediately withdraw their forceful imposition diktat,” alleged BJP Lok Sabha MP Raju Bista.