Baripada, September 28: A memorandum demanding constitutional recognition for the Mundari language was submitted through the Block Development Officer (BDO) of Baripada Block, addressed to the Chief Minister of Odisha, the Prime Minister of India and the Union Home Minister. A further demand was made to grant Mundari the status of the second official language of the state.
Mundari is regarded by the organisers as one of India’s oldest tribal languages. Birsa Munda belonged to the Mundari-speaking community, and the Government of India observes his birth anniversary as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas. Jaipal Singh Munda, who made an important contribution to the making of the Indian Constitution, was also from the Mundari-speaking community.
According to the organisers, more than 1.6 million people across India speak Mundari, yet the language has remained without constitutional recognition. Expressing dissatisfaction over the continued lack of recognition, the participants demanded that Mundari be included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution at the earliest and be granted the status of the second official language of Odisha.
As part of the programme, a massive procession was organised from Birsa Munda Square at Kenduasahi to the Baripada Block office. The programme began with traditional Mundari rituals and worship at the statue of Birsa Munda.
More than 10,000 Mundari-speaking men and women, representing 30 gram panchayats of Baripada Block and dressed in traditional attire, took part in the procession. They marched in two rows towards the Block office. Traditional Mundari musical instruments accompanied cultural performances and dances along the route.
Among those present in the procession were Baripada Zilla Parishad member of Zone No. 22 Dasharath Singh, Baripada Block Chairperson Minati Singh, former Chairperson Laxmi Singh, Baripada Gram Panchayat Sarpanch Budhuram Singh, Chelia Sarpanch Priyalata Singh, Deulia Sarpanch Tulasi Singh, Kochilakhunta Sarpanch Tapaswini Singh, Suhagpur Sarpanch Basanti Singh, Manatri Sarpanch Sabitri Singh, and Sankerko Sarpanch Sahadari Singh.
Also present were Engineer Sunaram Singh, Central General Secretary of the Mundari Language Coordination Committee; observer Rameshwar Singh; Ajit Kumar Singh; Budhia Singh, Secretary of the Mundari Education Council; Tapan Singh, Convenor of the Mundari Language Coordination Committee, Betnoti Block; and Ranga Singh, Convenor of the Khunta Block committee, among others.
The programme was led by Baidyanath Singh, Convenor of the Mundari Language Coordination Committee, Baripada Block, along with Secretary Basant Singh, Shashidhar Singh and Shantilata Singh.
