Kolkata, May 11 -- Five BJP legislators from Junglemahal have sought permission to take oath in Kurmali at the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, though the permission was denied for the lack of Kurmali translator in the Assembly.

The five Kurmi BJP MLAs are Biswajit Mahato from Jaipur in Purulia, Jaldhar Mahato from Balarampur, Rahidas Mahato from Baghmundi, Rajesh Mahato from Gopiballavpur in Jhargram and Biman Mahato from Salboni in West Midnapore.

According to the legislators, they had emailed the Assembly Secretariat following due procedure, requesting that their oath be administered in Kurmali. However, in reply, the Secretariat reportedly asked them to choose from Bengali, Hindi, English, Urdu or Santali. On contacting officials again, the MLAs allegedly found that despite Kurmali being recognised as a second official language by the previous Trinamool Congress government in 2018, no translation arrangement has been made in the Secretariat.

Expressing his anger on social media, one of the legislators wrote: "We are continuing our efforts in cooperation with the Secretariat so that we can take oath in Kurmali and create history.

This situation would never have arisen had the previous government implemented its promises properly."

Reacting sharply, Adivasi Kurmi Samaj leader Ajit Prasad Mahato said: "The government recognised our language in 2018, but today there is no Kurmali translator in the Assembly Secretariat. This raises serious questions over that government notification. A Kurmali translator must be appointed immediately. The emotions of the Kurmi community are deeply attached to this issue."

Members of the Kurmi community have pointed out that if such arrangements are possible in Jharkhand, Bengal can do the same.

They have also cited former Binpur MLA Naren Hansda, who had reportedly refused to take oath until a Santali translator was appointed between 1991 and 1999. With oath-taking scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday, the five MLAs now hope to script a historic moment for Kurmali in Bengal.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.