Kathmandu, May 20 : Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Mahantha Thakur inaugurated the Nepal Maithili conference today.

Some 150 persons from 30 institutions associated with the Maithil Society in different districts are taking part in the two-day conference.

On the occasion, Mr Thakur said controversies on the issue of language and culture in a multi-racial, multi-lingual and multi-cultural country like ours are not uncommon, adding that language and culture are not an obstacle to national unity, but a cementing force.

Stating that people’s voice brings development and the present constitution is an outcome of sacrifices and contributions of the countless people, he noted that the Maithil language and culture has been in practice since time immemorial and it was in a prosperous state during the Malla period.

MP Pari Thapa stressed the need to put into practice the provisions made for the development of all language-speaking people.

Former MP and human rights activist Padmaratna Tuladhar called for unity among all language-speaking people to implement the rights guaranteed by the constitution.

Former MP Ram Bilas Yadav remarked that all communities who are backward should be taken together along the path of development, while central member of the Nepal Sadbhawana Party Bhogendra Thakur complained that though the Maithil language and culture has a history of its own, it has no place in Nepal or in India.

Various other speakers including Dr Ram Dayal Rakesh, convenor of the language rights joint action committee Amresh Narayan Jha and convenor of the Nepal Bhasa action committee Malla K. Sunder also expressed their views at the function chaired by programme coordinator Shyam Shekhar Jha.