Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday accused the Centre of neglecting Kannada and imposing Hindi and called upon people of the state to oppose those who are ‘anti-Kannada’.
“The federal government is meting out step-motherly treatment to Karnataka,” Siddaramaiah said during his address on the occasion of the state foundation day (Rajyotsava Day) here in the state capital.
He also asked urged the Central government to enact suitable laws to ensure that education is imparted in the mother tongue, and announced that 900 Kannada-medium Urdu-medium schools would be developed into Karnataka Public Schools (KPS) and teaching of Kannada in madrasas would be prioritised.
Siddaramaiah slams Hindi imposition
Stating that injustice is being done to Kannada language, the chief minister said, “There are continuous attempts to impose Hindi. Grants are given for the development of Hindi and Sanskrit while other languages of the country are being neglected.”
He also said that Karnataka is denied funds for the development of the state. “Injustice is being done to the classical language Kannada by denying adequate funds for its growth. We have to oppose all those who are anti-Kannada,” Siddaramaiah said.
Underlining the need to take Kannada language and its culture to new heights, the chief minister said the neglect inflicted upon the Kannada language in education has caused many problems.
“Children of the developed nations think, learn and dream in their mother tongue but here the situation is against it. English and Hindi are weakening the talent of our children,” Siddaramaiah said.
“Hence, there is a need to bring laws to introduce the mother tongue as the medium of instruction. I emphasise that the Centre should pay heed in this direction,” he added.
Kannada to be taught in madrasas
The Chief Minister said that 800 Kannada schools and 100 Urdu schools are being developed into KPS institutions, and Kannada teaching is being introduced in madrasas across the state.
He informed that the state has around 3,000 government schools that are over a century old. To strengthen school education, 800 government schools will be transformed into Karnataka Public Schools at an estimated cost of Rs 4 crore each, with a total outlay of Rs 2,500 crore.
“To integrate minority communities into the mainstream, primary-level Kannada is being taught in 180 madrasas this year. This will be expanded to 1,500 madrasas across the state. Additionally, Rs 483 crore is being spent to develop 100 Urdu schools on the KPS model,” he announced.
The CM recalled that Karnataka, formed through unification in 1956, has now completed 69 years and is stepping into its 70th year. Paying homage to the martyrs of the unification movement, he remembered Mysuru student Ramaswamy, Ballari’s Ranjan Saab, and several others, including Aluru Venkata Rao, Andanappa Doddameti, Gudleppa Hallikeri, Siddappa Kambli, R.H. Deshpande, Kaujalagi Srinivas Rao, and Kengal Hanumanthaiah.
