New Delhi, Dec 19: The government will soon set up a high-powered committee on inclusion of Bhojpuri, Maithili and Santhali languages in the 8th schedule of the Constitution, Lok Sabha was informed today. Responding to demand by members during a call attention notice, Minister of State for Home I D Swami said the setting up of the committee to study inclusion of these languages in the 8th schedule was under active consideration of government.
The committee would be constituted soon though no time-frame has been fixed for its submission, he said.
Former prime minister Chandrashekhar said government should take steps to ensure proper implementation of Hindi rather than setting up such committees.
"Where is the government taking the country? Hindi has not yet been made an all-India language and we are talking of including 35 languages in the 8th schedule," he said.
Bhunath Singh (Samata) wanted inclusion of Bhojpuri in the 8th schedule as about 16 crore people speak this language and it was also spoken in Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Fiji. Bureau Report