SHILLONG, MAR 16: Governor Ganga Prasad’s decision to deliver his address in ‘Hindi’ on the first day of the budget session of the tenth Meghalaya Legislative Assembly here has triggered strong resentment from among the opposition members who termed it as “bad precedence”.
While opposition Congress member from East Shillong Ampareen Lyngdoh was the lone member who staged a walk-out as a mark of protest soon after the governor delivered his address in Hindi, another Congress legislator from Mawlai PT Sawkmie repeatedly stood up to oppose the address saying it has created a bad precedence in the history of Meghalaya.
Immediately after the Speaker Donkupar Roy informed that the governor will come and address the House, Sawkmie stood up and sought clarification if the governor will address in Hindi and whether the translated version will be provided to the members since most of the members do not understand Hindi.
However, despite the assurance by the Speaker that it will be done, the members were finding it difficult to understand even though a copy of the governor’s Address that was translated in English was provided.
Later when the House resumed after a short tea-break, Sawkmie again raised concern over the issue and said that the governor has created a bad precedence on the floor of the House.
“In 46 years of statehood, this is the first time in the history of Meghalaya that the governor has addressed us in Hindi. It seems that the agenda of the big party is trying to infringe its one nation, one culture, one language,” he said.
“If the governor has created a bad precedence I am sure in the next session, members can speak in Khasi, they can speak Garo, they can speak Jaintia according to their wish because the head of the state fails to respect the floor of the House,” he said.
On this, the Speaker requested the members to go through the rules which accordingly to him have made a clear mention on this regard. When Sawkmie repeatedly raising the issue, Roy said, “No need to discuss (this), we should go ahead with our business.”
Earlier when asked, the Speaker, who admitted that this was the first time that the governor has delivered his speech to members of the House in Hindi, told reporters that an arrangement was already been made that the governor will address in Hindi and translated copy (of his address) will also be provided to members.
He also said members can speak in their own mother tongue (Khasi or Garo) if they want to but they have to ensure that the speech they made in the House is already translated and the same be provided to the members.
Defending the governor, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said, “It is not an odd thing that is happening (inside the House). The governor was more comfortable speaking in Hindi, which is not a foreign language. I don’t see any reason why that should be an issue when everything is given in the document in English.”
Admitting that he also noticed that the governor skipped some points, Conrad said, “I noticed that also but the reason why he skipped like that I don’t know but as I said the official document is the printed document provided to the members.”
“It was a very long document almost 50 pages keeping in mind his age and health, he decided to shortened it and summarised it but I think we should look at the official document and take that as the official statement from his side and also the government.”
When sought for his comment, Leader of Opposition and Congress leader Mukul Sangma said, “Today the governor chooses to address the House in Hindi, no doubt it is his prerogative but we would have been pleased to be addressed in the language which we all understand.”
Stating that Assembly is proud of its legacy, the former chief minister said there were quite a number of deliberations since Khasi and Garo languages have also been notified as official language, whether we should do all the deliberation or give privilege to any member of this august house to deliberate in any of these languages.
“But because of the legacy of this House which is exclusive and unique in the whole country, we decided that if our predecessors have created this legacy let it remain as the convention and practice and let us preserve this legacy as we are proud of this legacy,” he added.
Speaking to reporters, former cabinet minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said that she walked out as a mark of protest while terming the incident as an ‘unhealthy precedence’.
“We are setting a very unhealthy precedence. As is the conduct of business if you speak in another language you should make sure that the population that is listening to your speech has an alternative language translator,” she said.
She said that she had switched on her headphone and checked all channels there was no English version to the governor’s speech while adding that it would be so unfair to ask a legislator to read a written speech.
Stating that the oppression of language is the beginning of that huge suppression, Lyngdoh said, “Language is the first root for oppression.This is absolutely bullying and this approach I don’t appreciate. Earlier they tried to impose Assamese and now they are forcing Hindi.”
Lyngdoh said that when she was minister in the previous government, she had strongly opposed Hindi speaking meetings.
“Yes I had protested in Delhi also. In fact I led a huge protest but this government whether in Delhi and here seems adamant. How can we allow, it is not for me it is for my children and my future generation that I am fighting,” she added.
Reacting to a query, the MLA from East Shillong said, “If he (governor) is stubborn speaking in Hindi then I am also stubborn of not listening to anyone speaking in Hindi, so we will both be stubborn and where will this country go?”
Reminding the official language of Meghalaya is English, she said the rule of conduct says the business of the House should be conducted in English and it seems the head of the state is going against his own rule.
Another opposition member from Umroi constituency George Bankyntiew Lyngdoh said it is unprecedented and may be this is the first step of the NPP-led government to bring one country one language.
“I think it is unprecedented. We will wait for the response of the people considering the number of Hindi readers, writers or people who can really understand Hindi I think this may not translate into an understanding of what the governor had really said,” he said.
He also said “the Chief Minister may like to response if he wants the initiatives of the government are translated in a better manner as what was said today (in the governor’s speech) may have been lost in mid air so to say.”
Stating that speech should have been more elaborate, he pointed out that there some jumping of sentences, paragraphs and some words read out of the written text that was given.
“We had tough time flipping from one page to another. It was totally disconnected, some words like Garo Hills became “Gora Hills”,” he added.
Meanwhile, lone Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) legislator from North Shillong Adelbert Nongrum said that he would also play his role by participating in the debate on the governor’s address in Khasi language.
“I will also take part in the governor’s address in Khasi. I feel (today’s address) is a first step to accomplish the BJP’s agenda starting with languages,” he added.
By Our Reporter
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