Gorkha organisations have slammed the All-India Women Conference (AIWC) for rejecting the community’s programme for an ‘Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav’ event after labelling ‘Nepali’ a “non-Indian” language.
AIWC executive member Chandra Prabha Pandey on June 9 sent out a note seeking contributions from its regional chapters for the proposed ‘Azadi’ celebrations. The requirement was patriotic songs and dances performed in regional languages.
But when artists from West Bengal’s Kalimpong district sent in their contributions, Ms. Pandey allegedly told them that the AIWC could not showcase performances in ‘non-Indian languages’.