Chief minister Mamata Banerjee urged to make Bengali language enriching with its usage as much as possible
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee [PHOTO:SNS]
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee paid tributes to the martyrs who sacrificed lives for their mother tongue in Bangladesh.
Speaking at a function held at Deshapriya Park in the city on the occasion of International Mother Language Day on Tuesday and spoke about how 21 February is significant. She urged to make Bengali language enriching with its use as much as possible.
“We have to increase the use of Bengali vocabulary in our daily conversations. You have to accept it if someone calls it ‘pani’ instead of water. You can call your mother as amma. At the same time no one prevents you from calling your mother maa.
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Bangladeshis use the word dawaat for hospitality of a guest. I can’t change someone’s mother language and we have to accept what he or she has learnt about his or her mother tongue,” she said.
“For instance, you can see how Hindi songs are being used in Bengali TV serials. The reason: market demands use of Hindi in Bengali serials.
Similarly, many people are found using English words while speaking in Bengali. Person who is well conversant with communication skills can prosper,” the chief minister felt.
Earlier, while delivering his speech in the programme Subhaprasanna Bhattacharya, painter close to the chief minister, said, “There have been several instances of how communal tones are being felt in Bengali language. We don’t use the pani or dawaat in Bengali language. We have to think about which one is our own language.”
The painter’s assessment apparently triggered controversy among a section of guests who were present at the programme. In order to manage the situation the chief minister said, “We have to accept this type of word generously if we want to make Bengali language popular through its expansion globally.”
Celebrities like poets Joy Goswami and Sreejato and Tollywood actors were present on the occasion.
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