Constitution (Amendment) Bill : Amendment of Eighth Schedule (Negatived)

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1. 1Prof. N. Tombi SinghSpeaker label in OCR: SHRI N. TOMBI SINGH · 136 words

   Mr. Deputy-Spcaker, this Bill has got a very special importance, because the amendment of the Eighth Schedule has been demand: d from muny language groups. So, when we cansider Nepali there are other languages. Naturally, therefore, we look for a leadership a national thinking, through which we shall see the nation comprehensively. I recall when we, the States and Urion Territories in the North-East, were demanding separate administration and scparate States, many in the country were like the proverbial six as blind men secking an elephant, they only saw their nearest parts and described the elephant accordingly. But through the great comprehensive eyes of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and his able successors Shastriji and leter Shrimati Indiraji, the North-East was reorganised. That brought together the North-East region, giving birth to States like Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Tripura.

2. 2Prof. N. Tombi SinghSpeaker label in OCR: SHRI N. TOMBI SINGH · 712 words

   Mizoram and Arnnachal Pradesh were made Union Territories. CHAITRA 8, 1907 (SAKA) Canstitution 338 (Amendment) Bill But if you judge by the size, you will see that these are smal} States and Union Territories, most of them much smaller than districts in Uttar Pradesh. The fact is that, there were other considerations. There are language groups other than Nepali. Manipuri, I think, by any consideration. On top. of other languages in the .consideration because it has been the language of the court and administration, the languege of the masses and also has a very developed literature in the State of Manipur. Since early days this has bcen the language of ar independent Stute, an independent Kingdom, before the merger, on integration with the great Indian Union. This demand for inclusion of Mnnipuri in the 8th schedule has been hanging fire for so many decades. When we demanded statehood, we also demanded that Manipuri lar-guage should be included inthe Eighth Schedule. Then our leaders said that all the things should not be asked ata time although there were justifications for that. They assured that they would do it at the right time. Where isthe right time । The amendment of the Eighth Schedule should be opened. Arguments are mado that the Eighth Schedule is too big. If the Eighth Schedule can have । languages, it can very well have 16 or 17 languages also. That should be our consideration. Now, the qucstion is: what should be the criteria ?I am not opposed to Nepali. Similarly, । am not opposed to other languages. Whatever languages have been recogniscd by the Sahitya Akademy should be tuken for the purposes of the Eighth Schedule, as they have been recognised on academic merit. Either increase the number of languages in the Eighth Schedule as suggested by many hon. Members, if all these languages are to be retained, then we have to include Manipuri, and other deserving languages in the Eighth Schedule or remove all the other languages except Hindi and English. Let us discuss it in a comprehensive manner. I would like to appeal to the national leadership, the able succcssors of Panditji, Shastriji and Indiraji, and 330 Constitution (Amendment) Bill now at the helm of affairs, Shri Rajivji to see the national intcrest comprehensively ard avoid seeing things like the proverbial six blind men _ describing, different parts of the elephant. Ours is a big country. Let us sce the Eighth Schedule comprehensively and amend it to include Manipuri, and other languages which deserve a place in that. Number should not be the criteria, but the criteria should be something else. Dr. Suniti Kumar Chatterjee, a great linguist, who was not a Manipuri, said that in spite of the smallness of the population speaking Manipuri, it is one of the richest languages of the country. Population-wise we are not small. We have about two million Manipuris in the country. This is the official language ofa State and medium of instruction and examination upto the sccondary. stage. Itis a subject in the honours studies. Ore can study M. A., M. Phil in that. This is the language of the courts in Manipur. This language has a history beginning with the ancient times followed by medieval, modern and contemporary. We have a rich storehouse of literature covering departments like translations, original writings. It covers the entire Hindu Vedic literature in translation beginning with the Vedas, the Upnishads, the Puranas, the Gita, the Ramayana, the Mahabharta. We have the translation of books by great writers in Bengali, Hindi, English and other Indian languages. Its original products cover novels, dramas, essays, poems and stories. So this language deserves on 18 own right, not as a special consid:ration, inclusion in the Eighth Schedule. Therefore, this should be considered on top of other aspirant languages. It is imperative that our national leadership should not prolong this because if we go on prolonging it for long, we shall only be inviting agitations and _ revolution which our late Prime Minister felt was no more necessary. If you do not like agitations, we should heve consideration at the literary, academic and Sentlemanly level of discussion. We expect that some positive action will be taken in this direction. MARCH 29, 1985 Constitution 340 (Amendment) Bill

3. 3Prof. N. Tombi SinghSpeaker label in OCR: SHRI । TOMBI SINGH · 33 words

   Sir, I am on a point of order, I will submit that we are not makind submissions before a court of law. We are making submissions before a forum which cin make law.

4. 4Prof. N. Tombi SinghSpeaker label in OCR: SHRI N. TOMBI SINGH · 21 words

   The hon. Law Minister is defending according to the Constitution, while also fiil secks दाप 014 21: of the constitution. (L..terruptions)

5. 5Prof. N. Tombi SinghSpeaker label in OCR: SHRI N. TOMBI SINGH · 6 words

   This is my point of order.

Mentions of his name (8)

1. ly the chauvinistic Hindi-speaking, people do not wantit. Kindly do not prevent it. It will do more harm than goad. MR. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I think everybody is cooperating well, and finishing in less than five minutes, even three or four minutes. I think this should be maintained for nuture also. Shri Tombi Singh. SHRI N. TOMBI SINGH (Inner Manipur): Mr. Deputy-Spcaker, this Bill has got a very special importance, because the amendment of the Eighth Schedule has been demand: d from muny language groups. So, when we cansider Nepali there are other languages. Naturally, therefore, we look for a leadership a n
2. indi-speaking, people do not wantit. Kindly do not prevent it. It will do more harm than goad. MR. DEPUTY SPEAKER: I think everybody is cooperating well, and finishing in less than five minutes, even three or four minutes. I think this should be maintained for nuture also. Shri Tombi Singh. SHRI N. TOMBI SINGH (Inner Manipur): Mr. Deputy-Spcaker, this Bill has got a very special importance, because the amendment of the Eighth Schedule has been demand: d from muny language groups. So, when we cansider Nepali there are other languages. Naturally, therefore, we look for a leadership a national thinking, thr
3. yes of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and his able successors Shastriji and leter Shrimati Indiraji, the North-East was reorganised. That brought together the North-East region, giving birth to States like Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Tripura. PROF. N. G. RANGA : Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh. SHRI N. TOMBI SINGH: Mizoram and Arnnachal Pradesh were made Union Territories. CHAITRA 8, 1907 (SAKA) Canstitution 338 (Amendment) Bill But if you judge by the size, you will see that these are smal} States and Union Territories, most of them much smaller than districts in Uttar Pradesh. The fact is that, there were
4. itable purposes; (७) to manage its own affairs in matters of religion;’’ and so on. Many religious institutions in U.P. and other places carry 01. instructions through Urdu. That cannot be prevented. Secondly, Article 14 is another guarantee which says...... 347 Constitution (Amendment) Bill SHRI । TOMBI SINGH : Sir, I am on a point of order, I will submit that we are not makind submissions before a court of law. We are making submissions before a forum which cin make law. MR. DEPUTYY SPEAKER: Are you making submission or a point of order 7 SHRI N. TOMBI SINGH : The hon. Law Minister is defending accordi
5. ... 347 Constitution (Amendment) Bill SHRI । TOMBI SINGH : Sir, I am on a point of order, I will submit that we are not makind submissions before a court of law. We are making submissions before a forum which cin make law. MR. DEPUTYY SPEAKER: Are you making submission or a point of order 7 SHRI N. TOMBI SINGH : The hon. Law Minister is defending according to the Constitution, while also fiil secks दाप 014 21: of the constitution. (L..terruptions) MR. DEPUTY SPEAKER: । ask the Member : What is your pvint of order ? SHRI N. TOMBI SINGH : This is my point of order. SHRI A. K. SEN Point of order means a pdi
6. PUTYY SPEAKER: Are you making submission or a point of order 7 SHRI N. TOMBI SINGH : The hon. Law Minister is defending according to the Constitution, while also fiil secks दाप 014 21: of the constitution. (L..terruptions) MR. DEPUTY SPEAKER: । ask the Member : What is your pvint of order ? SHRI N. TOMBI SINGH : This is my point of order. SHRI A. K. SEN Point of order means a pdint wh'ch immediately puts a ban on the discussion. That is the point of order. We are dealing with the Constitution itself, the Bighth Schcdule. Therefore I am saying, the Eighth Schedule does not give any guirantee. Then every l
7. _ conrsensus and included the Nepali Jarguage as arother language in the Eighth Schedule. ThceLaw Minister is here; the Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs is also here. Please go through the record of the last Lok Sabha. Five years have passed. Do not wait any more. J agree with Mr. Tombi Singh that ‘waiting’ means inviting more confrontation and agitation. It is high time that we accommodate some more lunguages andin the process. included the Nepali language also. I offer my thanks to the hon. Members who have taken part in this discussion, and [appeal to all the hon. Members of this Heu
8. , Shri K. H. Rao, Shri K. S. Rath, Shri Somnath Sen, Shri A. K. Sethi, Shri Ananta Prasad Shankaranand, Shri B. Shastri, Shri Hari Krishna Siddiq, Shri Hafiz Mohd. Sidnal, Shri S. B. Singh, Shri Lal Vijay Pratap Sinha, Shrimati Ram Dulari Sultanpuri, Shri K. D. Tewary, Prof. K. K. Tigga, Shri Simon Tombi Singh, Shri N. Vyas, Shri Girdhari Lal Yadav, Shri Shyam Lal Yadava, Shri D. P. Yogeshwar Prasad, Shri. MR DEPUTY SPEAKER : Ayes 15 Noes 63 348 Bill Subject to correction™, the result of the Division The motion is not carried by the required majority. * AYES : The following Members also recorded their vo

@misc{lsdl_983be9da,
  title = {{Constitution (Amendment) Bill : Amendment of Eighth Schedule (Negatived)}},
  author = {{Prof. N. Tombi Singh}},
  howpublished = {Lok Sabha Debates, 8th Lok Sabha, Session II},
  year = {1985},
  date = {1985-03-29},
  publisher = {Lok Sabha Digital Library},
  url = {https://elibrary.sansad.in/items/983be9da-bbdd-4c2e-9d5f-ab8b34b552a7}
}

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