Jangaon: Centre urged to accord official status to Lambadi language

The Central government must recognise this language called by different names as one of the official languages of India by including it in the eighth schedule of Indian constitution, Tribal Welfare Minister Satyavathi Rathod said

Jangaon: Lambadi language is spoken by crores of people in different states in the country. In view of this, the Central government must recognise this language called by different names as one of the official languages of India by including it in the eighth schedule of Indian constitution, Tribal Welfare Minister Satyavathi Rathod said here on Sunday.

Speaking at the foundation laying ceremony of the Sevalal Bhavan at Palakurthy in the district on Sunday, she also stressed on the need to develop the script for the Lambadi/ Banjara language to protect the rich culture of the Lambadas and pass it on to future generations.

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Appreciating the efforts of Palakurthy MLA and Panchayat Raj Minister Errabelli Dayakar’s Rao for the development of the constituency, she said that she was sanctioning Rs 20 crore for roads from the Tribal Welfare department.

“I am also sanctioning Rs 1.50 crore for Banjara Bhavan,” she said, demanding that the Centre take measures to increase the quota from 7.50 percent to 10 percent to the Lambadis since the population of the Lambadis increased. She also announced a Rs.1,00,016 donation to the Sevalal Bhavan.

Meanwhile, Minister Dayakar Rao said tribals of his constituency had requested him to construct Sri Sevalal and Merama Matha temple with Rs 10 lakh in 10 guntas of land. “But I decided to donate Rs 10 crore and one acre of the land for the same. As a part of this, Rs.2 crore have also already been allocated for this purpose,” Rao said. He also said that he would bring the request of declaring a holiday on the occasion of Sevalal Jayanthi to the notice of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao.

According to Dr Bhukya Devender, an Assistant Professor of the Pondicherry University, nearly 10 crore people speak the Lambadi language in India. “While it is called Lambadi in Telangana, it is called Sugali in Andhra Pradesh, and Vanjara in Gujarat. Tribal people of Maharashtra speak the same language which is called Banjara. Even some people in Pakistan also speak the same language. There is a need to recognise the language as an official language in India,” he said.