CIRCULARS IN LANGUAGE OF MINORITIES LAND IN TROUBLE

[Harold F. Schiffman]

   Forwarded from Star of Mysore


               CIRCULARS IN LANGUAGE OF MINORITIES LAND IN TROUBLE

            Bangalore, Apr. 30 (KVV)- The State Government has reportedly
issued an order to the Heads of Departments to issue important Government
Orders (GOs), notifications, rules etc., to benefit the linguistic
minorities also in their own language.  The State Government has issued
the disputed order on Mar. 31 and the same has triggered a controversy
with Kannada Sahithya Parishat and Pro-Kannada activists opposing it. They
have urged the Government to immediately withdraw the disputed order,
failing which, they would launch agitations. The disputed order has been
issued under the seal and signature of Mr. C. Krishnamurthy, Under
Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms
(DPAR).


            The Government Order has instructed the Heads of Departments
to issue important Government Orders, notifications, rules etc., also in
the language of linguistic minorities alongwith Kannada and English
language.  According to the said order, prominent Government orders and
notifications should be issued in Tamil and Telugu for Bangalore District,
Urdu and Telugu for Bangalore Rural, Marathi, Urdu (Belgaum, Bidar,
Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Shimoga Districts) Telugu and Urdu (Bellary
District), Malayalam, Konkani, Tulu (Dakshina Kannada and Kodagu
Districts).

            A conspiracy

            Researcher Dr. M. Chidananda Murthy has condemned the order
terming it a 'deep conspiracy to disintegrate Karnataka in a phased
manner' and to wipe out Kannada.  He said that Chief Minister Mr. S.M.
Krishna may not be aware of the consequences of the order.  Dr. Murthy
said that such kind of order cannot be issued even in States like Andhra
Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Kerala. In Maharashtra, there are a
large number of Kannadigas, but does the Government of Maharashtra
promulgate such an order in favour of linguistic minorities ?" he
questioned.

            "Where is the end, if the Government goes on issuing orders
like this? The Kannada Development Authority should immediately take
serious note of this," he demanded.  The office of the Kannada Development
Authority is located in Vidhana Soudha from where the disputed order was
issued. The KDA came into existence with the sole objective of
implementing Kannada as the official language in the State. Kannada
Development Authority should prove its existence, he said.

            KDA keeps mum

            "If the KDA observes silence in this regard, it will send
wrong signals. We all know about its in-action. When I said this, some
vested interests criticised me. But now, it is the duty of KDA to stall
the implementation of the order," he said.  "Kannadigas should raise their
voice against the anti-Kannada order. They should launch a peaceful
struggle," he said.