Concept
The social movement of Meitei language (officially known as Manipuri language) to achieve the officially recognised status of the "Classical language of India" is advocated by various literary, political, social associations and organisations as well as notable individual personalities of Bangladesh, Myanmar, Northeast India (prominently Assam, Manipur and Tripura). Chungkham Yashawanta, Professor of the Department of Linguistics, Manipur University, is of the opinion that the very social movement is not an easy task, having no room for agitation, and is of purely academic work, needing linguists, historians, archeologists, anthropologists and literary persons. However, Dr. Moirangthem Nara, a former Cabinet Minister for Arts and Culture and Sericulture of the Government of Manipur and a Member of Manipur Legislative Assembly, is of the opinion that no demands could be met in India and Manipur without any agitation and so, agitations are required to the demand of Meitei language to be improved to the "classical language" status. In the year 2004, the Government of India set up an official elite category named "Classical languages of India". According to Jaipal Reddy, the then Minister of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting of the Government of India, an expert committee had suggested strict criteria for languages to qualify, like that the language should have been in existence for 1,000 years. In the later years, the Government of India reformed and announced some criteria for a language to be recognized as a "classical language". As of now, there are four criteria: (i) High antiquity of its early texts/recorded history over a period of 1500-2000 years; (ii) A body of ancient literature/texts, which is considered a valuable heritage by generations of speakers; (iii) The literary tradition be original and not borrowed from another speech community; (iv) The classical language and literature being distinct from modern, there may also be a discontinuity between the classical language and its later forms or its offshoots.
