Chakma Community Pushes for Language Recognition in Mizoram

The Chakma National Council of India (CNCI) urges Mizoram to officially recognize the Chakma language. During a conference, concerns were raised about misidentifying Chakmas as Bengalis. The CNCI also supported nationwide protests for better management of the Bodhgaya Temple and committed to furthering these causes.

The Chakma National Council of India (CNCI) has taken a firm stance, urging the Mizoram state to officially recognize the Chakma language. This demand was made during a two-day general conference held over the weekend in Kamalanagar, as stated in a CNCI release on Sunday. The CNCI highlighted its concerns about the longstanding omission of the Chakma language from Mizoram's list of officially recognized languages, a move they deem necessary given that Chakmas constitute a significant portion of the state's population.

The conference attendees expressed strong disapproval of the erroneous classification of Chakmas as Bengalis within the annual linguistic reports presented to the President of India. Such misrepresentation affects a community that constitutes one-tenth of Mizoram's demographic. The CNCI has resolved to intensify efforts to achieve official language recognition and address this misidentification issue.

Aside from local language concerns, the CNCI conference also addressed national issues, particularly the ongoing protests against the Bodhgaya Temple Act of 1949. The CNCI has called upon the central government to consider the demands of the Buddhist community, advocating for their right to manage the Mahabodhi temple. The conference saw participation from notable Chakma leaders, including representatives from political parties and NGOs, underscoring the community's unity on these issues.

(With inputs from agencies.)