BHUBANESWAR, Dec. 7 -- Santhali, the language spoken by India's largest tribal community spread across Odisha, Bihar, Chhatisgarh and Jharkhand, found an articulate voice in the Rajya Sabha on Friday when Biju Janata Dal (BJD) member, Sarojini Hembram used it to make a point during the zero hour. This was the first time the language was spoken in the House of Elders.
That the person through whom the language debuted in the Rajya Sabha happens to be a lawmaker from Odisha should be a matter of pride for all Odias who believe in the lingual and cultural diversity of the state as well as our vast country. Hembram also appropriately used the occasion to demand Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour, for Pandit Raghunath Murmu, the fathe...