CHAKAMARI, (Madarihat, West Bengal), Jan 22 � The 51st conference of Bodo Sahitya Sabha (BSS) which gets under way yesterday has today urged the Government of West Bengal to introduce Bodo MIL in the educational institutions of this state for the Bodo students, said Dr Kameswar Brahma, president, BSS.
He has also pointed out that the purpose of this conference is actually to find the ways convincing the State Government for an early implementation of Bodo MIL in West Bengal for which a BSS delegation will discuss the matter with Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal, he said after hoisting the BSS flag. He has further maintained that as many as 50,000 Bodo students are getting education in West Bengal at present.
At the same time, Kamala kanta Mushahary, secretary, BSS in his speech to the delegates said that in Assam, several ethnic groups like Rava, Dimasa, etc. are getting facilities to learn in respective MIL so there is every reason to introduce bodo MIL in West Bengal.
Further, he reminded that the Bodo MIL was started in Assam in 1963 but in West Bengal is yet to start this. He also said that during the Left Front Goverment, a survey was conducted in this regard but no concrete step was taken.
Both the BSS leaders, however, were optimistic that during the Trinamool regime, some initiative shall take place. They have also pointed out that the right of Bodo students stand guranteed under RTE, 2009 which should be honoured through free and compulsory education between 6-14 years students and free textbooks are to be supplied to them.
Besides Amarendra Suba, founder secretary of BSS in West Bengal also released the souvenir Holong while 17 Bodo novels and five books of BSS have been released.
On this occasion, few Bodo literary persons and few from other disciplines including those securing highest marks in the matriculation examination last year have been awarded.
A literary session is also held on the topic of Bodo MIL under RTE, 2009.
