IMPHAL: In a potentially ground-breaking development that upholds the verve of Assam's multifaceted cultures, the state government has mooted making Manipuri an Associate Official Language in four districts. The move, contained in the Assam Official Language, Amendment Bill 2024, has already generated a wave of appreciation from Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh.
The Bill was introduced on Thursday in the Assam state assembly by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pijush Hazarika on behalf of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. The said Bill considers an amendment to the Assam Official Languages Act of 1960, hence raising Manipuri as the associate official language in the districts of Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi, and Hojai.
Chief Minister Singh thanked Sarma profusely on social media for taking this historic decision. He said in his post that this initiative would help the Manipuri community residing in Assam much in safeguarding and nurturing its cultural, social, and linguistic identity. He added that this move was a step ahead in the larger initiative of preservation and celebration of the pluralistic cultural heritage of the region.
The proposed amendment epitomizes the continuing effort of Assam to create an inclusive atmosphere for all its communities. It declares Manipuri as an associate official language so as to create a better cultural and linguistic environment in the affected districts with sizable populations speaking the language.
Manipuri, a language with a storied history extending to over two millennia, gained its official inclusion in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution only in 1992. The mere proposal, much more recent, of the preservation of languages has assumed the strains of a broader recognition of Assam's diverse cultural fabric. The associate official language status of Manipuri will give significance to the concerned districts in official communications and administrative processes.
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