Law mandating Kannada in ‘all fields’ on anvil: CM Bommai
Bommai said every Indian language is the “mother tongue” and also the “national language,” while addressing the 67th Kannada Rajyotsava celebrations in Bengaluru.
The Karnataka government will table a draft legislation mandating the use of Kannada language in all spheres of activity in the upcoming legislative session in December, chief minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Tuesday, at a time when there is a row over the imposition of Hindi by the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre.
Bommai said every Indian language is the “mother tongue” and also the “national language,” while addressing the 67th Kannada Rajyotsava celebrations in Bengaluru.
“A law will be enacted in the state by getting the bill passed in the coming session of the state legislature on the use of Kannada in all fields. Ours will be the first government to give legal protection to the Kannada language,” the chief minister said on the Karnataka foundation day.
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Bommai was referring to the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Bill, which aims to introduce Kannada as the medium of instruction in schools and colleges across the state. It also seeks to create job reservation for Kannadigas in the government and private sectors.
In September, Bommai had informed the assembly that a new law would be brought in to make Kannada legally mandatory and increase the use of the language after the state saw protests by opposition parties and pro-Kannada groups on the occasion of Hindi Divas.
Bommai had stressed that the ruling BJP was against the imposition of Hindi in the state. The government also recently issued a circular to all departmental heads, directing them to use Kannada in official functions of the state and central governments.
A “free and frank discussion” on the proposed legislation is needed and the state government is ready to accept all suggestions with an open mind, Bommai said on Tuesday. “Apart from passing legislation on the use of Kannada in all fields, one must get the feeling of living for the sake of this language,” he said, adding that people must dedicate themselves to work and live for Kannada.
Suggesting that Kannada should not just remain a language but should become a way of life, Bommai said, “Kannada pride and self-esteem should be held high, and we should march ahead.”
The chief minister observed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has supported the welfare and development of Karnataka and said: “According to the Prime Minister, all languages in the country are mother tongue and national languages. So, Kannada is both our mother tongue and national language.”
Remembering people who fought for Karnataka Ekikarana (unification of Karnataka) that was earlier divided and were parts of the Bombay Presidency, Madras Presidency, and Hyderabad Nizam rule, among others, Bommai said: “Our elders dreamt of a prosperous Kannada Nadu that can write the future of India by becoming a hub for education, health, employment generation.”
“All these dreams are being fulfilled step by step. We have journeyed for about six-and-a-half decades now and it is time for us to introspect. Every Kannadiga has to introspect as to what his or her contribution is to build Karnataka,” he said. “If every Kannadiga resolves to build this state, Kannada Nadu will become the greatest.”
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Reacting to the development, Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad said: “Why are people in Karnataka and southern states where we have strong regional languages feeling the need to enact laws? The psychology behind that is that there are numerous attempts by the central government to impose Hindi. The BJP government has strongly pushed Hindi into the system. This push is making people insecure. Now Bommai, who belongs to the BJP, has to go the extra mile to convince the people that he is not towing his party’s agenda’s line,” said.
“If the central government treats all the languages as important then you don’t need laws. So, these are reactionary laws to the attitude of the central government which is trying to make Hindi a superior language. There’s a big threat of the Hindi imposition on the southern states. If there is a neutral environment where all the languages can thrive and people have an opportunity to write the examination in their mother tongue, then you don’t need to go this extra mile,” he added.
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