PIL filed in Chhattisgarh High Court regarding Marathi language

Bilaspur. A PIL was filed in Chhattisgarh demanding linguistic minority status for Marathi language. On this, the High Court has directed the state government to consider the petitioner’s representation and take a decision within three months. The matter was heard in the division bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice BD Guru.

Dr. Sachin Kale, who lives in Tilak Nagar, Bilaspur, had filed a PIL in the High Court. He pleaded his case himself and demanded that like other states, Marathi speaking community should be given minority status in Chhattisgarh as well.

The petition cited the notification of the Central Government and argued that Articles 29 and 30 of the Constitution give rights to linguistic and religious minorities. Apart from this, citing the Supreme Court’s decision in TMA Pai Foundation vs State of Karnataka, it was told that minority status should be determined at the state level, and not in the context of the whole country. Information was given about giving minority status on linguistic basis in many states.