August 6, 2018
Partha Pratim Roy speaks on Rajbanshi language
FULL TRANSCRIPT
Thank you Madam, for giving me the opportunity to speak regarding the Rajbanshi language.
Madam, you know that the Rajbanshi language is largely spoken by the Rajbanshi community and some other communities who have settled in the country and mainly in North Bengal and some parts of Assam, Meghalaya and Bihar in India. In Nepal and Bangladesh, the language is also known as Rajbanshi.
The speciality of the language is that it has complete grammar, so many books and so many elements of literature. Rajbanshi is spoken by 8 million people in India and around 1,30,000 people in Nepal and nearly 10 million in Bangladesh. Renowned linguist, Dr Grierson in his book ‘Survey of India’, called the language spoken by the people of North Bengal as Rajbanshi dialect.
I am very grateful to say that the Bangla Government under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has taken an initiative to include Rajbanshi language as one of the official languages of Bangla. The Bangla Government has also established the Rajbanshi Bhasha Academy, 2012. Several institutes and universities, even North Bengal University, Panchanan University, JNU they also are working on Rajbanshi language. Dr Girija Shankar Ray was also awarded the ‘Sahitya Academy’ as an eminent Rajbanshi writer. I, therefore, request the Government to consider the inclusion of the Rajbanshi language into the Constitution of India.
Thank You.
