Bengali language movements in India
{{Short description|Campaign to preserve Bengali language and Bengalis culture}}
{{Multiple issues|
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{{Infobox civil conflict
| title = Bengali language movement in India
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| partof = Anti-Hindi agitations in India, Bengali nationalism
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| place = Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Meghalaya states in India
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| causes = To oppose anti-Bengali sentiment
| goals = To preserve Bengali language and Bengalis culture and in India
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| status = Ongoing in many areas
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The Bengali Language Movement is a campaign to preserve Bengali language and Bengalis culture and to oppose anti-Bengali sentiment in India.{{Cite web|url=http://purulia.nic.in/distAdmin/departments/dico/bhasa_andolon.html|title=The Official Website of Purulia District|website=purulia.nic.in|access-date=2018-01-07}} The movement was started in Manbhum in 1940, ahead of the Partition of India which allocated eastern Bengal to the new nation of Pakistan and led to the relocation of many Bengali communities.
In 1947 British India bifurcated into India and Pakistan.{{cite book |last=Khan |first=Yasmin |year=2007 |title=The Great Partition: The Making of India and Pakistan |url=https://archive.org/details/greatpartitionma00khan |url-access=registration |publisher=Yale University Press |isbn=978-0300120783|language=en}} The population of the eastern part of Bengal was majority Muslim, and was incorporated into Pakistan. Bengali Hindus in this eastern region migrated to India, principally settling in West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Dandakaranya and Odisha,{{cite web|last=Progress report|work=Yojana|volume=109|issue=14|title=29 New Villages Established in Dandakaranya|url=http://yojana.gov.in/CMS/(S(d3srdvmjh2vecd45vrtwqa55))/pdf/Yojana/English/1965/Jul_Vol09_No14.pdf|accessdate=7 January 2018|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225133145/http://yojana.gov.in/CMS/%28S%28d3srdvmjh2vecd45vrtwqa55%29%29/pdf/Yojana/English/1965/Jul_Vol09_No14.pdf|archive-date=25 February 2015}} Maharashtra, Karnataka. The Movement remains prominent in Assam, Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka.{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/155406/language-movements-bengal-assam/|title=In Language Movements of West Bengal and Assam, a Parallel in Governments' Responses|last=Pisharoty|first=Sangeeta Barooah|website=thewire.in|language=en-GB|access-date=2018-01-07}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.oneindia.com/2013/05/20/bengali-gets-2nd-language-status-in-karnataka-1220585.html|title=Bengali {{!}} Gets {{!}} Second Language {{!}} Status {{!}} Karnataka|work=www.oneindia.com|access-date=2018-01-07|language=en}}
Assam
{{main| Bengali Language Movement (Barak Valley)}}
{{See also|Barak state movement}}
File:Silchar Language Marters.jpeg
The Bengali language movement of Barak Valley in Assam was the protests against the decision of Assamese government making Assamese language as the state's only official language, though majority of the population was the Bengali-speaking in Barak Valley. The main event happened on 19 May 1961. On that day, 11 defendants were killed in provincial police.Choudhuri, Arjun. "Bhasha Shahid Divas". We The People, Barak Valley. Retrieved 23 May 2013. After that Bengali was declared as the Official Language of the valley and Second Official language of the state.
Bihar
{{main | Bengali Language Movement (Manbhum)}}
File:Interview Of Freedom Fighter and participated in Bengali Language Movement (Manbhum).jpg
File:Freedom Fighter and participated in Bengali Language Movement (Manbhum) Bhabini Mahato.jpg
When the Indian government imposed the Hindi language for Bengali speaking people living in Manbhum district of the state of Bihar, they forced the government to form a new district in the state of West Bengal by making this movement for Bangla language.
Other parts in India
=West Bengal=
{{Main article|Anti-Hindi agitations of West Bengal}}
=Jharkhand=
Jharkhand is not only in the neighboring state of West Bengal but parts of Rarh region of western part of ancient Bengal are included in this particular state. In many districts of this state, the districts were not included in West Bengal despite the Bengali population being the largest. In addition, Bangla and tribes of Bangla Jharkhand (which are called the Definition of Bengali) are the languages connecting However, although Hindi, English and Urdu have the status of the official language of the state, Bengali is still not recognized as the official language. Many Bengali organizations of Jharkhand and tribal organizations have long been demanding to declare Bangla as the official language. Although Bengal was declared the second official language under the pressure of Bengali movement in Jharkhand, it has not been implemented. Apart from Bangla-speaking students, the deprivation has been accepted, Bengali medium schools have been converted through Hindi.{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Bengalis-feel-ignored-by-Jharkhand-govt/articleshow/2103561.cms|title=Bengalis feel ignored by Jharkhand govt - Times of India|newspaper=The Times of India|date=26 February 2002 |access-date=2017-12-21}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.news18.com/news/india/make-bengali-the-second-official-language-bangabhasi-samity-968862.html|title=Make Bengali the second official language: Bangabhasi Samity|newspaper=News18|date=22 February 2015 |access-date=2017-12-21}}{{Cite web|url=https://anilcmandals.wordpress.com/2014/11/12/bengali-language-bengali-speaking-population-in-jharkhand/|title=Bengali Language & Bengali speaking population in Jharkhand|date=2014-11-12|newspaper=Anil mandal's blog|language=en-US|access-date=2017-12-21}}
=Chhattisgarh=
After the 1947 partition of India, by Dandakaranya Project, the Hindu refugees of East Bengal rehabilitated in 132 villages and 33 villages of Pachanjoore. For them, arrangements primary and secondary education were arranged. However, after the Dandakaranya project Government of Chhattisgarh stopped providing education for Bengalis. Bengali medium schools were converted through Hindi. No Bengali medium books were provided and Bengali educators face discrimination. The students started showing protests. After the formation of movement under the leadership of the All India Bengali Refugees Association demanding Bengali medium schools, Bangla in primary and secondary level and Bangla in government services. The protests were not fruitful. Majority of Bengalis migrated to other states.{{cite news|last1=News of Dandkaranya|title=Rebirth of Bangladeshi Hindu Refugee - Dandakaranya|url=http://empireslastcasualty.blogspot.in/2008/12/rebirth-of-bangladeshi-hindu-refugee.html|accessdate=7 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170323022149/http://empireslastcasualty.blogspot.in/2008/12/rebirth-of-bangladeshi-hindu-refugee.html|archive-date=23 March 2017|url-status=dead}}{{cite book|last1=refugees|title=refugees and Borders : The Great Exodus of 1971|page=151|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uGJcun8ma2cC&q=Dandakaranya+Project&pg=PA151|accessdate=7 January 2017|isbn=9781136250361|date=2012-08-21|publisher=Routledge }}{{cite book|last1=Dandkaranya Project|title=Dandakaranya: A Survey of Rehabilitation|url=http://dev.epw.in/system/files/pdf/1965_17/1/dandakaranya_a_survey_of_rehabilitationithe_state_of_agriculture.pdf|accessdate=7 January 2017|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061357/http://dev.epw.in/system/files/pdf/1965_17/1/dandakaranya_a_survey_of_rehabilitationithe_state_of_agriculture.pdf|url-status=dead}}{{cite book|last1=work|title=Villages Established|url=http://yojana.gov.in/CMS/(S(d3srdvmjh2vecd45vrtwqa55))/pdf/Yojana/English/1965/Jul_Vol09_No14.pdf|accessdate=7 January 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225133145/http://yojana.gov.in/CMS/%28S%28d3srdvmjh2vecd45vrtwqa55%29%29/pdf/Yojana/English/1965/Jul_Vol09_No14.pdf|archive-date=25 February 2015}}{{cite web|last1=Project Detail|title=Rs. 7.81 crores has been provided for Rehabilitation|url=http://www.teindia.nic.in/mhrd/50yrsedu/15/8P/84/8P840K02.htm|accessdate=7 January 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150225172324/http://www.teindia.nic.in/mhrd/50yrsedu/15/8P/84/8P840K02.htm|archive-date=25 February 2015|url-status=dead}}
=Delhi=
During the partition of India in 1947 refugees from East Bengal took refuge in Delhi in the capital of India. At that time, Chittaranjan Park was the main residence in Delhi. Bengali's living in Delhi from last 200 years when Bengal regiment captured Delhi from Maratha in 1803. Bengali's living in Delhi from the time of Mughal when Sultan of Bengal used to do trade. Many Bengali businessman used to come to Delhi and stayed. Many Bengali school which established before independence. Around more than 10 Bengali school's opened before independence and they are N P Bengali Girls Senior Secondary School, Shyama Prasad Vidyalaya, Bidhan Chandra Vidyalaya Senior Secondary School, Union Academy Senior Secondary School, Lady Irwin Senior Secondary School, Raisina Bengali Senior Secondary School, Bengali school J Block Laxmi nagar, Bengali Boys Senior Secondary School, Vinay Nagar Bengali Senior Secondary School, Ramakrishna Sarda Mission Nivedita Vidyamandir and these schools are English medium with Bangla is a mandatory subject. Besides, Bengalis from West Bengal, Tripura, Assam, Jharkhand and other Bengali-speaking states of India came to Delhi, before the Sindhi, Punjabis, and Baniya's.
Bengalis became Delhi's second largest minority community. According to the Indian population, approximately 2.5 million (25 lakhs) Bengali people live in Delhi.{{cite news |url=http://www.anandabazar.com/national/bangla-academy-will-form-at-delhi-1.186027|title=দিল্লিতে বাংলা আকাদেমি গঠনে তৎপরতা|first=সুমনা|last=কাঞ্জিলাল}} But, there too Bengalis acknowledged discrimination. Although there are other languages Nizasub academy in Delhi, there is no Bengali language academy. Bangla Medium School is not available for Bengali Studies in Delhi. Therefore, Bengalis in Delhi are protesting for the rights of language. Attempts at establishing a Bangla Academy in Delhi are currently underway due to the Bengali movement{{Cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/west-bengal-students-clash-with-police-north-dinajpur-school-5367166/|title=Bengal: Students clash with police in school over appointment of teachers, one dead|date=2018-09-20|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2018-09-26|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/students-clash-with-police-over-appointment-of-teachers-in-west-bengal-one-dead-1345296-2018-09-21|title=Students clash with police over appointment of teachers in West Bengal, 1 dead|website=India Today|date=21 September 2018 |language=en|access-date=2018-09-26}} teacher{{Cite web|url=https://kolkata24x7.com/school-student-died.html|title=ইসলামপুরের স্কুলে চলল গুলি, নিহত ছাত্র|last=Joarder|first=Sayani|website=kolkata24x7.com|language=bn|access-date=2018-09-26|archive-date=2018-09-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926130700/https://kolkata24x7.com/school-student-died.html|url-status=dead}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.ndtv.com/bengali/one-killed-in-students-police-clash-at-islampur-in-north-bengal-daribhit-high-school-north-dinajpur-1919601|title=উত্তর দিনাজপুরে ছাত্র পুলিশ খন্ড যুদ্ধে মৃত 1 আজ 12 ঘণ্টার বনধ ডাকল বিজেপি|work=NDTV.com|access-date=2018-09-26}} Rajesh Sarkar.{{Cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/students-clash-with-police-at-bengal-school-one-killed/story-KlrJ7BJNJdqEsC0rlK7ThN.html|title={{!}} india news {{!}} Hindustan Times|date=2018-09-20|work=hindustantimes.com/|access-date=2018-09-26|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=https://bengali.news18.com/amp/news/students-agitation-turns-violent-in-islampur-1-died-217866.html|title=Bengali News - ছাত্র বিক্ষোভে বোমা-গুলি-লাঠিচার্জ ইসলামপুরে, মৃত ১ প্রাক্তন ছাত্র–News18 Bengali|website=bengali.news18.com|date=20 September 2018 |language=bn|access-date=2018-09-26}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.anandabazar.com/state/another-student-injured-in-islampur-school-clash-died-in-siliguri-dgtl-1.868106|title=ইসলামপুরে গুলিবিদ্ধ আরও এক ছাত্রের মৃত্যু, বন্ধ ঘিরে অশান্তি|work=Anandabazar Patrika|access-date=2018-09-26|language=bn}}{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/politics/islampur-clash-another-student-dies-bjp-bandh-underway|title=Islampur Clash: Another Student Dies, BJP Bandh Underway|website=The Wire|access-date=2018-09-26}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.anandabazar.com/district/north-bengal/injured-student-is-transferred-to-siliguri-for-treatment-1.869041?ref=north-bengal-new-stry|title=জখম ছাত্রকে শিলিগুড়িতে|last=হেদায়েতুল্লা|first=মেহেদি|work=Anandabazar Patrika|access-date=2018-09-26|language=bn}}
=Karnataka=
A section of the refugees of East Bengal took shelter in different villages of the southern state of Karnataka. There was no arrangement for Bangla readers to read Bengali there. Bengali medium and Bengali Bengalis in Karnataka took the movement to accept the language as a text issue. Their demand for movement The Karnataka government arranges for Bengali reading in the Bengali villages of the country.http://www.prothom-alo.com/amp/international/article/3856কর্ণাটকে-রাজ্যভাষার-মর্যাদা-পেল‘বাংলা’{{Dead link|date=May 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Bengalis In Karnataka, the Government of Karnataka recognized Bengal as the second language in the movement.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Bengali Language Movement in India}}
Category:Bengali language movement
Category:Language conflict in India
Category:Uttar Dinajpur district
Category:20th-century mass murder in India
Category:Human rights abuses in India