Santhali used in Rajya Sabha for the first time
On December 6, 2019, MP Sarojni Hembram from Odisha for the first time spoke in a tribal language called Santhali. She raised the matter of public importance during the zero hour. Also, Srimati Sarojini demanded Bharat Ratna for Pundit Raghunath Murmu, the Santhali scholar who introduced Ol Chiki script for the language in 1925.
Santhali Language
The language is predominantly spoken by the North Mundari Group of the Austroasiatic-Munda family. The language is spoken in parts of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Assam, Odisha and also in Nepal and Bangladesh. The Ol Chiki script for the language was created by Raghunath Murmu in 1925.
Schedule 8 of the Constitution
Santhali language was included in the Schedule 8 of the constitution through the 92nd Constitutional Amendment act, 2003. Along with the language, 3 other languages were included namely Maithili, Bodo, Dori.
In 2017, Shika Mandi became the first Indian to host a show in Santhali language.
Santal Tribes
The Santals are the third largest tribal group in India. They are called Horhopon ko (Sons of Man), Hor Ko or Manjhi. They are classified as Scheduled Tribes in the states of Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal but not in Assam.
In 1855, they protested widely for their mistreatment by the landlords, traders and money lenders. It was called the Santal Rebellion.
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Month: Current Affairs - December, 2019