CIRCULARS IN LANGUAGE OF MINORITIES LAND IN TROUBLE

[P. Kerim Friedman]

Thanks. This much I know, but I still don't understand the story - what
is contentious about this. Why are they calling it a "conspiracy"?

- kerim

On May 6, 2004, at 8:54 AM, Harold F. Schiffman wrote:

> Dear Kerim and others,
>
> This has to do with whether the government of Karnataka State in India
> will communicate with its citizens in a language other than Kannada.
> Karnataka State has the highest proportion of language "minorities"
> (people speaking a language other than the dominant or official
> language,
> in this case Kannada) of any major state in India--35% by last
> reckoning
> that I'm familiar with. The largest "minority" are Tamil-speaking and
> have
> been demanding that Tamil be officialized in Karnataka for some time,
> but
> this demand has been resisted. Other "minority" languages are Telugu,
> Tulu, Konkani, Marathi, Kodagu, and Urdu.  (Maybe some others, too).
>
> This issue has been a contentious one since the states in India were
> reorganized after independence in the 1950's.
>
> Does this help?
>
> Hal
>
> On Thu, 6 May 2004, P. Kerim Friedman wrote:
>
>> Can anyone explain this to me? I've read it three times and I still
>> don't understand what the issue is that is being disputed. Maybe I'm
>> just still not awake this morning...
>>
>> - kerim
>>
>> On May 6, 2004, at 8:37 AM, Harold F. Schiffman wrote:
>>
>>>    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.
>>>
>>
>