SHILLONG, April 08: The MLA of East Shillong who has been suspended from the Congress, Dr.M.Ampareen Lyngdoh has expressed her disagreement to the decision to make Hindi compulsory upto Class IX in the State, and said that Hindi cannot be made compulsory in Meghalaya which has many local languages which are recognised under the Sixth Schedule.
She said that India is a democracy in which the States have also been given the power to decide, and if there has been a talk of agreement with the North-Eastern states to make Hindi compulsory in Meghalaya, then the Indian Government must also be questioned on what to do about the local languages? She said that no State will allow the Indian Government to take such a decision.
She said that she does not know the reason which has led the Indian Government to take such a decision, but it cannot make it agreeable or implement Hindi language study in Meghalaya which already has its own local languages recognised under the Sixth Schedule such as Khasi, Jaiñtia and Garo languages, which is a very strong force and the Indian Government cannot impose in areas under the Sixth Schedule, and it must be ensured that this aim is not actualised in this State.
Yesterday, the Home Minister of India, Amit Shah who also heads the Parliamentary Official Language Committee said that Hindi should be made a compulsory subject to be taught up to Class IX in schools and teachers should concentrate in the teaching process and to also conduct examinations in the Hindi language.
