Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, Leishemba Sanajaoba on Friday informed that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has agreed to soon display the Manipuri script on Indian currency notes and that the bank had sent him an acceptance letter in this regard.
Addressing the inaugural function of the 44th foundation day ceremony of Manipur Sahitya Parishad held at Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy, Sanajaoba said that Manipuri language was enlisted amongt the official languages of India in the year 1922.
The recognition was received as an outcome of the series of movements launched by people of the state during those days. However, there is no such step taken up in connection with development and promotion of Manipuri language, he pointed out.
Concerning the present status of Manipuri language in the country, he raised the matter of enlisting the language as one of the classical languages of India on the floor of Parliament in 2020. Effort was also made to print the Manipuri script on currency notes of India, he recalled.
Sanajaoba said as a response to it, RBI informed him that the Manipuri script will be displayed on currency notes very soon. And with regards to recognising the Manipuri language as classical language, the Central government had asked to submit requisite recommendations through an empowered committee of the state government, he said.
All documentation process is almost ready for sending but due to COVID-19, forming the empowered committee was halted but the preparation is almost completed to form the said committee, the MP said.
“I could say that 70 per cent of the work process for recognising Manipuri language has been completed so far. This language is surely an identification of one of the classical languages of India. So far there are only six classical languages of India despite the country having around 1800 languages. Manipuri language would be the seventh language once it is approved,” he stated.
The MP also said that literature is a mirror of the society and that as such writers should focus on ongoing issues like drug menace, gender issue, communal tension etc. to create massive awareness to people of the state.
Other dignitaries present at the function were vice-chancellor of DM University, prof N Rajmohon Singh and president, Manipur Sahitya Parishad, Longjam Joychandra Singh as guest of honour and president respectively.
During the function, a seminar was also conducted under the topic “Kumari Thoibi gi punsi amasung thabak”.
