DIMAPUR, JANUARY 19 (MExN): The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) today said it is “baffled” by the proposal of the Government of India to promote Nagamese as an official language. The intention of the centre to promote a language which has no originality is very much doubtful, said a press note from the NSF. The NSF asked the Government of India not to take any hasty decision “which could dilute the culture and the social fabrics of the Naga society.” “We need more time to develop and promote a language which can be called as our own ‘Naga Language’ and not a market language which is a mixture of Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, English and many other dialects. Trying to promote a language which has no origin and terming it as a Naga language will do more harm to the Naga people,” it stated. It advised “linguistic experts and activist who are enthusiastic in promoting the pidgin language as the official lingua franca of the Nagas should immediately stop from confusing the Nagas any further.” Any kind of recognition or promotion of language, tradition and customs of the Nagas without the concern of the Nagas will not be accepted and tolerated at all, the NSF cautioned.
