CM announces to set up Dalit Sahitya Academy

Kolkata: In an endeavour to promulgate Dalit literature, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday announced the setting up of Dalit Sahitya Academy headed by Manoranjan Byapari.

The Chief Minister also demanded inclusion of Bengali as a classical language in NEP 2020. She tweeted: "...I urge the Centre to follow suit by also including Bengali as a classical language in NEP 2020."

On Hindi Diwas on Monday, the Chief Minister also announced restructuring of West Bengal Hindi Academy with as many as 25 members and headed by former MP Vivek Gupta.

Stating that lakhs of people from Dalit community stay in Bengal, Banerjee said: "We have decided to set up Dalit Sahitya Academy that will be represented by littereateur from the community. Other backward groups will also be included. There will be representation of people from communities including Namasudra, Matua, Baghdi, Bauri, Dom and Majhi."

"The academy's principal objective is to make people aware of the challenges faced by the Dalit and refugees for centuries. Library containing books on Dalit literature will also be set up. It will also act as a centre to study the same. It will also work to publish the complete works of Dalit scholars," Banerjee said adding that Manoranjan Byapari will be the chairman of the academy.

Manohar Mouli Biswas, Kumar Rana, Adhir Biswas, Tripti Santra, Ashis Hira, Jatin Bala, Shyamal Pramanik, Kalyani Thakur Charal, Jyotirmoy Roy, Bijayan Barman, Bijay Bharti and Gokul Bairagi are members of the body along with Avijit Mondal as its associate member.

In the same breath, Banerjee announced the restructuring of West Bengal Hindi Academy that was set up by her government in 2011 comprising 13 members. In a bid to increase the scope of work for the academy, it has been restructured with 25 members in the committee with former MP Vivek Gupta as its chairperson and IPS officer MK Singh as its co-chairperson. The remaining members of the body are Suva Chudial, Dinesh Bajaj, Rupa Gupta, Vidyanand Jha, Bijay Bharati, Hitendra Ptel, Rajashri Shukla, Rampravesh Rajak, Dilip Dugar, Rita Chowdhury, Nishant, Uma Jhunjhunwala, Suren Jalan, RK Prasad, Rawal Pushpa, Ajay Shah, Md Majid Miya, Ashutosh Prasad Singh, Mamata Pandey, Priyank Paliwal, Nilkamal Singh, Rachna Sharan and Om Prakash Pandey.

Banerjee said: "Today is Hindi Divas. Bengal loves and respects all languages. Bengali is our mother tongue. But we do not neglect any other languages. Our government has given recognition to languages including Hindi, Urdu, Ol Chiki, Gurmukhi, Kuruk, Rajbanshi and Gurmukhi."The state government will also provide additional support to academies including Rajbongshi Academy and Tribal Academy that were set up earlier.

Banerjee has also announced her government's initiative of digitising 3,000 unpublished century old manuscripts on Baishnab philosophy and social lives.

The manuscripts on leaves and cotton made papers are treated as "treasure troves" and researchers from across the globe are interested in the same.

It will be brought to the public domain.

Banerjee also said that a Matua Development Board will also be set up.