JAMSHEDPUR: Veteran tribal leader and former MP Salkhan Murmu on Tuesday demanded that Santhali be accorded the status of first official language in the state.Addressing the media on the occasion of International Mother Language Day, the tribal leader said Santhali had been recognized under the 8th schedule of the constitution over a decade ago but the state is yet to accord the status of first official language to it."Tribal people are questioning the government as to why it has not made Santhali the official language in a tribal state," Murmu said. He added that Santhali is a widely-spoken language in the region and demanded from the adjoining states of Bihar, Bengal and Odisha to accord the status of second official language to it.Murmu said tribal languages namely Munda, Ho, Kuruk and Kharia should also be accorded the first official language status in the districts where these languages are mostly spoken."Ho language is largely spoken in Kolhan while Munda is spoken in Ranchi district and adjoining areas. Kharia is spoken widely in Lohardaga and Gumla region," Murmu said, adding that Kuruk is limited to Simdega.Criticizing former chief minister Shibu Soren for not according the status concerned during his tenure in office, the former lawmaker said, "Apparently, with an eye on votes, Shibu Soren accorded Urdu the status of official language at the cost of Santhali."

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