Sonowal Govt caught napping as KV drops Assamese subject

Guwahati May, 12, 2019:

The Sarbananda Sonowal-led Assam Government has been caught napping at a time when the vernacular languages are being dropped by schools.

The recent move of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) to drop the Assamese language from its curricular in its schools has been left unchallenged by the Govt of Assam, the alleged protectors of "jaati mati bheti".

Earlier, a notification of the KVS issued on March 29 said, “If at least 15 or more students opt to study an additional language, the teaching of the additional language may be taken up by the respective schools as per requirement beyond the school hours.”

Meanwhile, Paramananda Rajbongshi, president of the State’s biggest literary body, Assam Sahitya Sabha has threatened to demonstrate democratic protest against the KV move.

Notably, Deputy Commissioner of KVS, Chandradip Nilap was also present in the press conference where Rajbongshi announced his intention. Nilap told the literary body that the decision can only be handled or solved by the Central government. He also urged Assam Sahitya Sabha not to demonstrate any kind of protest in front of Kendriya Vidyalayas in the State.

Nilap further stated it has to be definitely the state government’s move to involve the vernacular language of the state, within the allotted school timing of six hours twenty minutes.

At least three periods of the week should be allotted for the regional language of the state, the Deputy Commissioner further stated.

Further describing the move as a conspiracy against Assamese language, the Assam Sahitya Sabha demanded the State government to take strict note of the development.

“We have already sent letters to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and Union Ministry of Human Resource Development,” informed Sabha president Rajbongshi.

It may also be notified that the literary body further threatened to close down Kendriya Vidyalayas across the State if KVS did not withdraw the notification.