Bengali language movements in India

2026-02-21T22:10:54Z

24.138.16.116:

{{Short description|Campaign to preserve Bengali language and Bengalis culture}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Cleanup rewrite|date=April 2024}}
{{Original research|date=April 2024}}
}}
{{Infobox civil conflict
| title = Bengali language movement in India
| subtitle =
| partof = [[Anti-Hindi agitations]] in India, [[Bengali nationalism]]
| image = কোলকাতা ভাষা শহীদ মিনার.jpg
| caption = [[International Mother Language Day|The Mother Language Day]] Shahid Minar in Kolkata, West Bengal
| date =
| place = [[Assam]], [[Bihar]], [[Jharkhand]], [[Delhi]] states in India
| coordinates =
| causes = To oppose [[Anti-Bengali sentiment in India|anti-Bengali sentiment]]
| goals = To preserve [[Bengali language]] and [[Bengalis]] culture and in [[India]]
| methods =
| 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|anti-Bengali sentiment]] in [[India]].<ref name=":0">{{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}}</ref> The movement was started in [[Manbhum]] in 1940, ahead of the [[Partition of India]] which allocated eastern Bengal to the [[East Pakistan|new nation of Pakistan]] and led to the relocation of many Bengali communities.<ref name=":0" />
In 1947 [[British India]] bifurcated into [[India]] and [[Pakistan]].<ref>{{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}}</ref> 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]],<ref name=":1">{{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}}</ref> [[Maharashtra]], [[Karnataka]].<ref name=":2" /> The Movement remains prominent in [[Assam]], [[Jharkhand]], [[Bihar]], [[Chhattisgarh]] and [[Karnataka]].<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{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}}</ref>

==Assam==
{{main| Bengali Language Movement (Barak Valley)}}
{{See also|Barak state movement}}
[[File:New Silchar Railway Station 2016.jpg|thumb|250px|A memorial built on memory of language martyrs at Silchar railway]]
[[File:Silchar Language Marters.jpeg|thumb|right|250px|Station Silchar railway station language Known as Shahid Station]]
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.<ref name="Choudhuri, Arjun 2013">Choudhuri, Arjun. "Bhasha Shahid Divas". We The People, Barak Valley. Retrieved 23 May 2013.</ref> 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)}}

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.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>

===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.<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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 }}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref>

===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.<ref name="auto">{{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}}</ref> 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<ref name="auto"/><ref name=":22">{{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}}</ref><ref>{{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}}</ref> teacher<ref name=":3">{{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}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{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}}</ref> [[Rajesh Sarkar]].<ref>{{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}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bengali.news18.com/news/north-bengal/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}}</ref><ref name=":9">{{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}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{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}}</ref><ref name=":02">{{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}}</ref>
===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 state.<ref name="prothom-alo.com">{{cite news |script-title=bn:কর্ণাটকে-রাজ্যভাষার-মর্যাদা-পেল‘বাংলা’ |url=https://www.prothomalo.com/world/%E0%A6%95%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%A3%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%9F%E0%A6%95%E0%A7%87-%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%9C%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%AD%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B7%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AE%E0%A6%B0%E0%A7%8D%E0%A6%AF%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%A6%E0%A6%BE-%E0%A6%AA%E0%A7%87%E0%A6%B2%E2%80%98%E0%A6%AC%E0%A6%BE%E0%A6%82%E0%A6%B2%E0%A6%BE%E2%80%99 |work=Prothom Alo |date=22 May 2013 |language=bn}}</ref> Bengalis In Karnataka, the [[Government of Karnataka]] recognized Bengali as the state's second language in the movement.<ref name="prothom-alo.com"/>

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Bengali Language Movement in India}}

[[Category:Bengali Hindus]]
[[Category:Bengali language movement]]
[[Category:Language conflict in India]]
[[Category:Uttar Dinajpur district]]
[[Category:20th-century mass murders in India]]
[[Category:Human rights abuses in India]]
[[Category:History of the Bengali language]]
[[Category:Bengali language in India]]

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Bengali language movements in India