Trinamul Rajya Sabha member Shanta Chhetri, who could not introduce a private member bill to include the Lepcha language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take a bill on this issue to its “logical conclusion”.

Chhetri in her letter to Modi on Monday said she missed the opportunity to introduce the private member bill on August 4 because the House was adjourned and she is set to retire on August 18.

“As I will be retiring on the 18th of August 2023, I shall have no further opportunity (to introduce the bill,” wrote the Trinamul Rajya Sabha member.

Pitching for the inclusion of the language in the Eighth Schedule, Chhetri said this Himalayan language is spoken by the Lepchas in Sikkim as well as other parts of India, Nepal and Bhutan.

“The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recognizes Lepcha as an endangered language, classified as such due to its precarious state,” said Chhetri.

The Lepcha language has its roots in Sikkim, Darjeeling and Kalimpong regions.

The 1991 Census reported a Lepcha language-speaking population of 39,342 persons.

“Unlike most Himalayan languages, the Lepcha people possess their own indigenous script. Leiden (University in the Netherlands) houses the largest collection of ancient Lepcha manuscripts, boasting over 180 Lepcha books. It is imperative to accord Lepcha its due recognition by incorporating it into the Eighth Schedule of our Constitution,” wrote Chhetri, requesting the Prime Minister to “take this bill forward to its logical conclusion.”