Northeast’s newly elected assemblies witness a number of firsts

Khasi and Garo made debut in Meghalaya assembly, as did Hindi in Nagaland house, and the national anthem in Tripura.

Published on: Mar 25, 2018, 12:58:41 IST

By Utpal Parashar, Guwahati

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The three newly elected state assemblies in the north-east are making headlines with a slew of firsts.

On Friday, the national anthem was played for the first time in the House when the first session of the newly elected assembly was convened. (AFP)

On Saturday, Nagaland assembly witnessed a ‘historic’ scene when minister for higher and technical education Temjen Imna Along addressed members of the House in Hindi—a language never used earlier.

The BJP legislator from Alongtaki, while taking part in the motion of thanks to the governor’s address, took the speaker, Vikho Yhoshu’s permission and spoke a few lines in Hindi.

“Is terahwa sadan mein aa sakne ka parmeshwar ne jo mauka hum sabko ko diya hai, (uske liye) sab logo ko pranam (I thank the Lord and you all for giving us the chance to become a part of the 13th assembly of the state),” Along stated.

The minister soon switched to English. Opposition MLAs from Naga People’s Imkong, L Imchen and Chotisuh Sazo opposed Along’s speech, as it ‘violated’ the rules.

As per the rules for conducting the Nagaland assembly state, the languages prescribed “English or in Naga-Assamese”, but allows a member, unable to speak in these languages, to “address the assembly in his mother tongue”, provided he will hand over a written copy of the speech in English to the assembly secretary.

Hindi isn’t the most popular medium of communication in the northeast, especially in states like Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram, which have dominant Christian populations.

The newly elected Meghalaya assembly also witnessed a few firsts.

Governor Ganga Prasad addressing the first session of the House in Hindi, triggering protests from MLAs as business of the assembly is usually transacted in English.

To register their protest, Congress MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh and Khun Hynniewtrep National Awakening Movement (KHNAM) legislator Adelbert Nongrum spoke in Khasi and Nationalist Congress Party’s Saleng Sangma addressed the house in Garo.

Khasi and Garo are the languages used by the state’s two prominent indigenous communities—the Khasis and Garos—but it was the first time both were used by MLAs inside the assembly.

The Tripura assembly, where the BJP sprang a major surprise by uprooting the 25-year-old CPM regime, also witnessed a first.

On Friday, the national anthem was played for the first time in the House when the first session of the newly elected assembly was convened.

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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