Add Lepcha lang to 8th Schedule of Constitution, says Shanta Chettri

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 10 Feb 2023, Siliguri: TMC Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament (MP) has raised the issue of inclusion of Lepcha language in the 8th Schedule of Indian Constitution in Parliament. 

She has also written a letter to the Minister of External Affairs on grievances raised by Indian businessmen indulging in trade on the Indo-Bhutan border in Bengal. 

Shanta Chettri on Thursday had raised the issue of inclusion of the Lepcha language in the 8th Schedule during zero hour in the Rajya Sabha. 

Addressing the Chair, she stated that this is a long pending demand of the Lepchas residing in Sikkim and parts of Bengal, namely in the Hills of the Darjeeling and Kalimpong districts. “UNESCO has listed the Lepcha language as an endangered language. The 1991 Indian Census counted 39342 speakers of this language. It is an indigenous language of the Himalayas where the Lepchas reside. 

They have their indigenous script too. I urge the house to draw the attention of the Prime Minister for the inclusion of the language in the 8th Schedule of the constitution that will ensure the preservation and growth of this language,” stated Chettri, during Zero hour. 

The TMC MP has also written to Subhramanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs regarding the woes of Indian traders after the opening of Bhutan Gate on September 23, 2022.She stated that Indo-Bhutan border towns especially Jaigaon in Bengal have had to bear the brunt of economic hardship of almost two-and-a-half years due to trade and business dependency on Bhutan. 

The Bhutan gate remained closed for long period of time. Adding to the woes, Bhutan has imposed a new set of rules and regulations, claimed the letter. 

“Ngultrum, the Bhutanese currency is widely accepted as main mode of payment at the border towns was converted at the banks with a nominal charge and the Government of Bhutan provided window for currency exchange or conversion at the counter via RTGS seven times. 

However the eighth list for RTGS currency conversion is pending for more than 18 months despite the repeated raising of the issue to Counsel General of India, Phuentsholing, Bhutan and Royal MonetaryAuthority, the equivalent of RBI in Bhutan” claimed the letter. 

She further stated that traders from these areas who have to travel to Bhutan for marketing and follow up on realisation of collection of invoices are levied charges of Nu. 1200 per person per day and for vehicles Nu. 4500 per car per day plus driver Nu 1200/day along with insurance and compulsory 3 star category hotel booking and accommodation as per the rules and regulation. 

This is an additional burden for Indian traders visiting the country. The letter requests the Minister of External Affairs to enact Currency Exchange Mechanism via Bank in Bhutan and transfer via RTGS and to exempt traders from India going to Bhutan on business purpose from the new charges and levies which are highly exorbitant, urged the letter complaining that the Indian Consulate in Phuentsholing, Bhutan has turned a deaf ear to the repeated complaints. 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/add-lepcha-lang-to-8th-schedule-of-constitution-says-shanta-chettri-508263