SHILLONG, APR 17: The Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) on Friday hailed the decision of the Conrad K Sangma-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government to recognize Khasi and Garo as official languages, calling it a strong push for their inclusion in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India.

“(We) congratulate the chief minister and his cabinet because of his able and dynamic leadership, he has taken this decision to recognize the Khasi and Garo languages in Meghalaya,” HSPDP president KP Pangniang told reporters.

He said in the year 2018, the MDA government with one voice had passed a resolution in the Assembly urging the Centre to include the two languages in the Eighth Schedule.

“(The government’s decision) recognizing the Khasi and Garo languages as the official languages will send a strong message to the government of India to give the recognition and include these two languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India,” Pangniang stated while urging the government of the day to aggressively pursue the matter with the government of India.

Stating that the recognition of the two languages have been a long pending demand of the party, the HSPDP president said, “We have flagged this issue in the manifesto of the party since Hoping Stone Lyngdoh as the leader of the party till date. We have submitted the demand for amendment of the Associate Official Language to the chief minister on August 14, 2024 and on July 24, 2025. We have mentioned why we need the recognition of the languages.”

As a constituent of the ruling coalition, Pangniang said the HSPDP was pleased the issue was taken up.

“As a party, which is part and parcel of the MDA government, we are so thankful to the government and we feel so happy because from day one when we come to form the MDA government, we came with a purpose and intention that some of our major issues laid down in the manifesto of the party should be carried forward by the government,” he added further.