DARJEELING,: On the occasion of Nepali Bhasa Manyata Diwas, different political parties and social organizations were on Tuesday seen taking up the demand and making people aware of the usage and protection of Nepali language in the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) area.
While the Gorkha Gaurav Sansthan (GGS) and Gorkha Swatantra Samuha jointly took out a rally and stuck posters with the demand in Kalimpong, the Communist Party of Revolutionary Marxist (CPRM) was seen putting up posters in Darjeeling along with submitting a memorandum to the district administration here with a similar demand.
“We have observed Bhasa Diwas in a different way today then other time. We feel that by talking about our language inside a hall and room only is not enough. We wanted to come out in the streets and make people aware of the Nepali language. We today also distributed pamphlets asking people to use Nepali language. Even though the Nepali language has got recognition we feel that proper usage of the language has not been done till now,” said GGS member Narendra Tamang. He added that it was the duty of the people to use Nepali language and also use the same in mobile handsets.
A workshop was also held today by the GGS teaching people how to type in Nepali language in their mobile phones.
Bhasa Diwas is observed on this day with the Nepali language incorporated in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution on August 20, 1992.
For taking up the demand of using Nepali language in signboards of different government offices, we were also putting up flex beside the offices naming the office in Nepali also, said Tamang.
Speaking of their demand, CPRM spokesperson Arun Ghatani said, “The benefits that we should have got after the recognition of the Nepali language is yet to be properly implemented. The language should be used in government offices as an official language, but it is not being done in them or the GTA.”
“We have also submitted a memorandum to the district administration asking that Nepali language be used in the government offices,” said Ghatani while maintaining that the GTA should also stress on the need of using Nepali language in their offices including taking out notifications and tenders among others in the Nepali language.
Bhasa Diwas programs were held by different organizations all over the hills with most of them stressing on the need for the usage of Nepali language especially in government departments.
The Kalimpong Sangrakshan Manch undertook a signature campaign at Damber Chowk there demanding that the name of Kalimpong Town Hall be changed to Ramakrishna Ranga Manch. They have also submitted a memorandum demanding the usage of Nepali language in government offices.