Hindi-Mizo barrier: CM Zoramthanga wants CS replaced

Zoramthanga said the Mizo people by and large do not understand Hindi, and none of his Cabinet ministers understands the language

Updated on: Nov 10, 2021, 24:05:10 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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Mizoram chief minister Zoramthanga has written to Union home minister Amit Shah requesting that he replace the state’s new chief secretary, Renu Sharma, as she does not know Mizo and his ministers do not understand Hindi. The letter was written on October 29.

Zoramthanga said the Centre has never appointed a chief secretary who did not have a working knowledge of the Mizo language. (PTI Photo File)

Sharma, an Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territory cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the 1988 batch, took charge on November 2. People familiar with the matter said Zoramthanga was unhappy with the Centre’s choice for the post. They added he wanted additional chief secretary JC Ramthanga, a Manipur cadre IAS officer from the 1989 batch, to be named as the chief secretary and even forwarded his name to the Central government.

The people said Zoramthanga was expecting the Centre to agree to his demand.

Istead, the Centre appointed Sharma, who was earlier in charge of the Chandni Chowk Redevelopment Project in Delhi, on October 28.

In his letter, Zoramthanga said none of his Cabinet ministers understands Hindi. “Some of them even have problem with the English language,” he wrote in the letter, a copy of which has been reviewed by HT. “With such background, a chief secretary without the knowledge of a working standard Mizo language will never be an effective and efficient chief secretary,” he added.

Zoramthanga said the Centre has previously never appointed a chief secretary who did not have a working knowledge of the Mizo language. He added that in other states, a person who does not have knowledge of a state’s basic language is never appointed to the post of chief secretary.

Zoramthanga pointed out in his letter that his Mizo National Front has been a part of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) from the beginning while parties in other states have changed alliances. “I am the only one in the northeast states who has been a faithful partner of NDA from the beginning... I, therefore, believe that I deserve a special favour and consideration for the faithful friendship with NDA.”

Zoramthanga said if his proposal of having a chief secretary with working knowledge of Mizo is denied, the Congress and other opposition parties will mock him for faithfully serving the NDA. He “earnestly requested” Shah to modify the earlier order of naming Sharma and make Ramthanga the chief secretary.

Officers in the chief minister’s office did not provide more details when contacted.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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