Pro-Bengali outfit takes out rally to assert Bengali 'Asmita'

Kolkata, Sep 14 (PTI) A pro-Bengali outfit on Sunday took out a march in the city to assert 'Bengali Asmita' (self-pride) and alleged that the BJP government at the Centre was trying to impose linguistic imperialism.

The protest march by Bangla Pokkho began from Jadavpur Sulekha crossing and culminated at Gariahat crossing.

Demonstrators carried placards and slogans projecting Bengali 'Asmita' to assert the right to speak in Bengali.

They also demanded that other regional languages be accorded the rightful place in the country and alleged the BJP government at the Centre was attempting to impose "one language-one nation theory at the expense of regional languages".

'Bangla Pokkho' general secretary Garga Chatterjee said all union government and PSU exams, notices, websites and services and functions already available in Hindi, must also be available in all scheduled languages of the Constitution of India.

"The union government must allocate funds for promotion of all scheduled languages, based on the number of mother tongue speakers of that language, as recognition and celebration of all Indian languages is essential to protect the federal and pluralistic spirit of the nation," Chatterjee and another organisation leader, Kaushik Maity, said.

They said, "We are against any imposition of Hindi. We are against any bid to marginalise Bengali and other regional languages across India." PTI SUS RG