Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): BJP MLA Abhilash Pandey took everyone by surprise in the Assembly as while bringing a call attention motion on conservation of Sanskrit language, read out the content in Sanskrit.
And much to the amazement of the Assembly members, school education minister Rao Uday Pratap Singh also responded in Sanskrit, drawing applause from fellow legislators.
Speaking in the Assembly, Pandey said that under the three-language formula of National Education Policy, importance is being given to Hindi and English languages in Classes 9, 10, 11 and 12 but not to Sanskrit.
Hindi and English are widely used and hence they are considered living languages, however, Sanskrit is not a part of daily usage, the MLA said, adding “If Sanskrit is to be revived then it should be spoken in colloquial form”.
The minister told the House that the government was going to conduct a pilot project in some districts wherein institutions will be set up to impart education in Sanskrit, Vedic and Yoga on the same premises.
Planning in the preliminary stage and on getting permission from the finance department, steps will be taken to make such institutions in every district, said the minister, adding that this will be a milestone for Sanskrit language.
Minister Udaipratap Singh told that the government is committed to implement three language formulas and necessary steps are being taken in this direction. Scholarships are being given to students studying Sanskrit. In 2014, the state had only 34 Sanskrit Schools; the number today has increased to 271 schools, said the minister.
