The Gondi School and Legal/Constitutional Rights
The Gondi-medium school was established to provide primary education in the mother tongue, aligning with Article 29 (right to preserve distinct languages) and Article 350(a) (state provisions for instruction in mother tongue).
The local administration's attempt to close it is based on non-registration under the Right to Education Act,2009.
This raises questions about the balance between administrative rules and constitutional rights.
Socio-Political Bias and Language Recognition
The school's non-recognition is linked to the broader subordination of Adivasi communities.
Gondi, spoken by over 29 lakh people (2011 Census), is excluded from the Eighth Schedule, unlike Sanskrit, spoken by fewer than 25,000 people.
This reflects a bias against Adivasi cultures and their oral traditions.
Threats to Adivasi Identity and Culture
Forces of absorption, both secular and religious, are eroding Adivasi identity.
Urbanization, marketization, and deforestation further threaten their cultural preservation.
The potential loss of Gondi and other Adivasi languages represents a significant cultural loss, undermining the "genius" that Jawaharlal Nehru advocated for Adivasi communities to develop.
The Call for Action and Recognition
There is a call for the recognition of the Gondi school and the promotion of Adivasi languages.
This is seen as a necessary step to uphold constitutional principles and protect Adivasi cultures.
The contrast between the recognition of Sanskrit and the neglect of Gondi is a "gross moral failure" that needs to be addressed.
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