<div dir="ltr"><section class="gmail-title_section gmail-clearfix"><h1 class="gmail-heading1">No backing out of 3-language norm: Mamata</h1><span class="gmail-time_cptn"><span><span>TNN</span></span> | <span>May 28, 2017, 05.41 AM IST</span></span><div class="gmail-leftsocial"><div class="gmail-toiwidgets_social"><span class="gmail-fb gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare"></span><span class="gmail-twitter gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare"></span><span class="gmail-gplus gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare"></span><span class="gmail-linkedin gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare"></span><span class="gmail-pinterest gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare"></span></div></div><div class="gmail-topsocial gmail-actions"><div class="gmail-toiwidgets_social"><span class="email gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare"></span><span class="gmail-print gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare"></span><span class="gmail-fontd gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare"></span><span class="gmail-fonti gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare"></span></div></div></section><section class="gmail-highlight gmail-clearfix"><img src="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-58876536,width-400,resizemode-4/58876536.jpg" alt="State Congress chief Adhir Chowdhury participates in a rally protesting against ‘deteriorating law and order’ in the state on Saturday, the day the Mamata Banerjee government marked the first anniversary of its second term. (Photo: Sayan Chakraborty)" title="State Congress chief Adhir Chowdhury participates in a rally protesting against ‘deteriorating law and order’ in the state on Saturday, the day the Mamata Banerjee government marked the first anniversary of its second term. (Photo: Sayan Chakraborty)"><span class="gmail-img_cptn">State Congress chief Adhir Chowdhury participates in a rally protesting against ‘deteriorating law and order’ ... <a class="gmail-toggle_cptn">Read More</a></span></section><div class="gmail-article_content gmail-clearfix"><div class="gmail-section1"><div class="gmail-Normal">
HOWRAH: The <a class="gmail-key_underline" href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Mamata-Banerjee-government">Mamata Banerjee government</a> isn't going to back out on making <a class="gmail-key_underline" href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Bengali-compulsory">Bengali compulsory</a> in schools. On Saturday, the chief minister insisted that students with English or Hindi and even <a class="gmail-key_underline" href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Nepali">Nepali</a>
(for Hills students) as first language should have Bengali as a
compulsory paper. Banerjee, however, didn't specify from which class the
government wants to introduce the three-language policy.
<br>
<br>
"Those with Hindi or Nepali as first language should continue to do
so. But won't they study Bengali as a third language?" the CM said at
Nabanna on Saturday, when her government completed one year in her
second innings of governance beginning May 2016. Sensing that the
proposal may fuel the identity debate in the Hills, she said: "I won't
impose anything if children in the Hills do not study Bengali, but won't
they learn the language of a place where we stay together?" The CM's
announcement comes three days ahead of her meeting with private school
representatives on Wednesday, in which she is likely to broach the
issue.
<br>
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"Bengal respects all languages and languages of all states. Our
three-language formula shows how we really do... India is a vast country
and the strength of our nation is unity in diversity. We must respect
every mother tongue and also give every regional language its
importance. We believe in the freedom of choice and the three language
formula," Banerjee had posted on Facebook a few days ago.
<br>
<br>
"Students have the freedom to take any language of their choice as a
first, second or third language. If the student choses Bengali, Hindi,
English, Urdu, Gurmukhi, Nepali, Alchiki as first language, he/she may
opt for two other languages of their choice. One of the three languages
has to be Bengali," she added.
<div class="gmail-last4brdiv"><div class="gmail-show_wdgt gmail-topcomment"><div class="gmail-msg"><h2><span>Top</span> Comment</h2><span class="gmail-cmnttxt">Hence
I request you saying that you too and students having first language as
Bengali have to take Nepali as their third language.<br>This makes equal right.<br>Even Nepali language should be made ... <span class="gmail-detail_comment_link">Read More</span></span><span class="gmail-cmntauthor">Bivek Pradhan</span></div></div></div></div></div></div><br>
<br>
Banerjee chose to celebrate her government's anniversary with a
massive blood donation programme organised by government employees. "As a
humble contribution on the occasion of the Trinamool government's
six-year completion, government employees have come forward meet the
shortage of blood in blood banks. We have already collected 16,000 units
of blood from the police force, who have conducted a blood donation
programme, and another 50,000 units of blood will be donated from our
government staff very soon. Blood saves life and blood is life. My
appeal is not to shed blood by beating up the police, but help to donate
blood," the chief minister said, indirectly hinting at the Left's
Nabanna march on Monday and the BJP's Lalbazar march on Thursday. Over
90 policemen were injured in the two marches.
<br>
<br>
Banerjee ferretted out a long list of statistics to highlight the
government's achievements over the last six years, saying the state's
GDP had more than doubled in the last six years since the Trinamool
assumed power. The CM flagged off 53 air-conditioned ambulances given by
MPs to serve people, particularly in rural areas<br><br><a href="http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/no-backing-out-of-3-language-norm-mamata/articleshow/58876532.cms?TOI_browsernotification=true">http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/no-backing-out-of-3-language-norm-mamata/articleshow/58876532.cms?TOI_browsernotification=true</a><br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature">**************************************<br>N.b.: Listing on the lgpolicy-list is merely intended as a service to its members<br>and implies neither approval, confirmation nor agreement by the owner or sponsor of the list as to the veracity of a message's contents. Members who disagree with a message are encouraged to post a rebuttal, and to write directly to the original sender of any offensive message. A copy of this may be forwarded to this list as well. (H. Schiffman, Moderator)<br><br>For more information about the lgpolicy-list, go to <a href="https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/" target="_blank">https://groups.sas.upenn.edu/mailman/</a><br>listinfo/lgpolicy-list<br>*******************************************</div>
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