Bihar is once again at the threshold of state elections. The BJP-JDU-led NDA, the Congress-RJD-led INDIA alliance, and newer entrants like Jan Suraj are in full campaign mode. Seats are being allocated, nominations filed, and alliances reiterated. In this electoral theatre, voters are promised development, welfare, infrastructure, and employment. And yet, amid these pledges, one critical issue remains unaddressed: the classical language status of Maithili.
Maithili is not a relic. It is a living, vibrant language spoken by over eight crore people in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Nepal, thriving in literature, journalism, digital media, and classrooms. Its grammar is independent, its literature expansive, and its print culture robust. Yet, despite being the only home-grown language of Bihar with such credentials, it remains absent from the central recognition framework.
Why It Matters Now
This election is not abstract; it is granular. The Mithila region alone contributes more than 100 Assembly seats out of 243, making it a crucial electoral zone. Maithili is the cultural heartbeat of these constituencies, yet the language has been conspicuously ignored by political agendas. A commitment to classical language recognition is not just symbolic; it is an actionable measure that directly resonates with voters.
The stakes are clear: recognition would bring central government support for education, research, and cultural preservation, strengthen institutions, and promote Maithili in schools, media, and digital platforms. It would affirm that Bihar values its cultural and linguistic heritage, alongside roads, electricity, and welfare schemes.
Neglect Across Administrations
Neglect is bipartisan. In the past, even a Maithili-speaking Chief Minister like Dr Jagannath Mishra prioritised Urdu over Maithili, granting it second-language status in the state while Maithili remained marginalised. Later, during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure, Maithili was removed from the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) exams, curbing its formal visibility in governance and administration.
These decisions created a vacuum in political accountability for the language. For decades, Maithili survived because of its people, its literature, and its scholars, not because the political class saw it as a priority.
The Agenda for 2025
The upcoming Bihar Assembly elections present an opportunity for a much-needed course correction. Political parties must understand that cultural identity is now inseparable from electoral relevance. In the Mithila region, voters are highly attentive to issues that affect their language, culture, and prospects. Ignoring Maithili is no longer a neutral stance; it carries real electoral risk for parties that fail to recognise its significance.
To address this, parties must make a firm commitment to secure classical language status for Maithili, elevating it to the recognition it has long deserved. Beyond this, they must ensure the integration of Maithili in educational and bureaucratic structures, including schools, colleges, and competitive examinations, so that the language not only survives but thrives in official and public life.
Equally important is the promotion of Maithili in media, journalism, and cultural institutions, reinforcing its presence in everyday discourse and preserving the state’s literary and artistic heritage. Political parties must also actively engage with writers, scholars, and community leaders to ensure that promises are translated into concrete implementation, not left as mere rhetoric.
Recognition of Maithili is not a cultural luxury; it is a political imperative, particularly in a state where electoral margins in Mithila can be decisive. Parties must move beyond generic promises of development and position Maithili as an integral part of a modern, inclusive governance agenda.
Learning from Other States
Other Indian states have shown what is possible when political will meets cultural advocacy. Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu, Oriya, Punjabi, and Sanskrit achieved classical recognition because state governments, party leadership, and bureaucratic machinery worked in tandem. It required persistence, electoral strategy, and public discourse that linked cultural pride to governance.
Bihar, despite its rich linguistic heritage, has never replicated this strategy. The political class has treated Maithili as peripheral, leaving its recognition to scholars and activists rather than embedding it in governance and policy. That must change.
Why the Voter Cares
Mithila’s electorate is not indifferent. Voters know that Maithili continues to flourish in literature, newspapers, FM radio, television serials, and online platforms, yet it remains invisible in government policy. A promise of classical recognition is tangible, verifiable, and symbolic of respect for identity.
Political parties that champion Maithili will not just gain goodwill; they will signal seriousness, vision, and alignment with Bihar’s cultural realities. Conversely, silence or inaction risks alienating a core constituency at a critical moment in electoral arithmetic.
Contemporary Imperatives
Maithili has survived centuries of neglect, preserving its literature, grammar, and cultural vitality despite repeated marginalisation. Today, the responsibility to act rests squarely with political parties. Incorporating classical language recognition for Maithili into election agendas is not just symbolic; it is a matter of smart politics, cultural justice, and nation-building.
From a political standpoint, it connects with voters in Mithila, a region with over 100 Assembly seats, making it an issue of tangible electoral significance. Beyond electoral calculation, recognising Maithili is a step toward cultural justice, correcting decades of administrative neglect and restoring the language to its rightful place in Bihar’s public life. Furthermore, it is an act of nation-building, allowing Bihar to join other states in asserting its linguistic contribution to India’s civilizational heritage.
Parties that fail to act are not merely overlooking culture; they are missing a critical electoral opportunity and failing to align governance with the aspirations of a significant voter base. The moment demands political courage and clarity, making Maithili classical language recognition a contemporary imperative.
A Clear Call to Parties
The upcoming Bihar Assembly elections are a test of both political imagination and cultural responsibility. Maithili is living, relevant, and deserving of classical recognition. Political parties have the power, and the duty, to make this a reality.
Promises must be specific, actionable, and included in manifestos. Campaigns must celebrate the language. Governance must ensure implementation.
Maithili is not a relic; it is Bihar’s inheritance, its voice, and its pride. This election is the moment to place Maithili classical language recognition at the centre of political discourse. The people of Mithila are watching, and political parties cannot afford to ignore it any longer.
(The author is a Bengaluru-based management professional, literary critic, translator, and curator)
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