RANCHI: Amid the ongoing language row, representatives of Magahi, Bhojpuri and Angika speaking communities in Ranchi on Sunday demanded the resignation of state education minister Jagarnath Mahto.
The All India Bhojpuri, Magahi, Maithili Angika Manch (AIBMMAM), which is backed by RJD’s splinter outfit RJD Loktantrik, strongly condemned Mahto’s recent remarks where he allegedly termed Biharis as intruders and sought his immediate resignation on moral grounds.
Dhanbad and Bokaro are on the boil for the past several days after the state government notified Bhojpuri, Angika and Maithili as the regional languages for the district-level recruitments recently. The protestors are demonstrating against chief minister Hemant Soren claiming that these languages should be replaced with Khorta, which is predominantly spoken in the area.
“Nearly 60% of the residents in two-thirds of Jharkhand speak Bhojpuri, Magahi, Angika and Maithili languages. We strongly condemn the concerted efforts to target this chunk of population in the name of domicile,” Kailash Yadav, the outfit’s president, said.
Mahto had kicked up a row recently when he allegedly made strong statements against the Bihari community in the state. “It was agreed that we will soon have a symposium with intellectuals and social outfits and chalk out a statewide protest against Mahto. The present government is trying to create unrest in the state in the name of languages,” he added.
On February 4, the Adivasi Chatra Sangh burnt effigies of Soren in Ranchi and demanded that Bhojpuri, Magahi, Maithili and Angika be omitted from the list of regional languages.
While JMM and Congress have not officially taken a stand on the issue, there is dissent brewing within their ranks with the government’s notification. JMM’s former Silli MLA Amit Mahto has threatened to quit the primary membership from the party if the government did not implement a new domicile policy with the land records of 1932 as the cut off. “The party is currently on a wait and watch mode,” a senior Congress leader told TOI.
