Northeast Desk, 4th October: Maharaja Leishemba Sanajaoba, the Member of Parliament representing Manipur, has publicly expressed his deep disappointment following the Union Cabinet’s recent decision to grant classical language status to five Indian languages while excluding Manipuri. This announcement, made on October 3, recognized Assamese, Bengali, Marathi, Pali, and Prakrit as classical languages.
In an emotional Facebook post, Sanajaoba conveyed his feelings, stating, “I am very EMOTIONAL & SHOCKED today.” He reflected on his extensive efforts over the past four to five years to secure classical status for Manipuri and lamented that the community’s lack of “POLITICAL PRESSURE, LOBBY & INACTIVE from our side” led to the loss of this significant opportunity.
Despite this setback, Sanajaoba remains committed to advocating for the inclusion of Manipuri in the classical languages category. He declared, “I will keep trying my level best to include my mother language in the status of Classical till my last day of Tenure,” while calling for collaboration among all concerned parties.
The Union Cabinet’s decision has raised the total number of Indian languages with classical status to eleven, joining Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia. This recognition is anticipated to enhance research, preservation efforts, and academic studies in these languages.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to Twitter to celebrate the decision, highlighting Assamese culture’s rich literary tradition. Similarly, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma referred to the recognition as “one of the happiest days in my life,” stressing the importance of preserving India’s linguistic heritage.
As advocates for Manipuri continue their efforts, the discourse surrounding regional languages and their cultural significance remains essential in acknowledging India’s diverse linguistic landscape.