[lg policy] Karnataka: Siddaramaiah pushes for primacy of regional languages

[Harold Schiffman]

Siddaramaiah pushes for primacy of regional languages
Bengaluru, Nov 1, 2016, PTI
[image: Siddaramaiah said it would help in development of regional
languages and also mental development of children. DH file photo]

*Pitching for supremacy of regional languages, Karnataka Chief Minister
Siddaramaiah today pushed for the state's demand to make it the medium of
instruction for primary education.*

Speaking at the 61st Karnataka Rajyotsava (state formation day) celebration
event here, he urged the Prime Minister to call a meeting of Chief
Ministers of all states and bring an amendment to the Constitution to
this effect.

"I have written two letters to the Prime Minister.I have also written to
all Chief Ministers because the Supreme  Court's order is causing a threat
to all regional languages," Siddaramaiah said.

The Chief Minister said he had also met the Prime Minister in this regard.

"We have to bring an amendment to the Constitution.It has to get declared
in Parliament that regional languages are supreme in states.. amendments
should be brought to make changes to the Supreme Court order. So Prime
Minister has to call a meeting of Chief Ministers of all states and
decide," he said.

"I will continue to make this demand," he said, adding most language and
education experts had opined that the mother tongue should be the medium of
instruction in primary schools.

Siddaramaiah said it would help in development of  regional languages and
also mental development of children.

In May 2014, the Supreme Court while hearing the issue before it
challenging two Karnataka Government Orders of 1994, making the mother
tongue or regional language compulsory to impart education from Class I to
IV, had held that the government cannot impose mother tongue on linguistic
minority for imparting primary education.

The CM said the state government had announced a language policy in 1994,
"which was questioned by unaided educational institutions in courts, where
we had to face a setback."

"Despite appealing against it, we did not get justice. We made all possible
efforts, but this was an order passed by  the Constitution bench. As the
Supreme Court is final, we  cannot appeal in any other courts," he added.

Pointing out that the state government was taking all  steps to protect and
encourage Kannada, Siddaramaiah said, "It is our mother tongue; it is
language of this land, this soil.

"Showing our Kannadiga pride just on November 1 or in this month is not
enough, it should be a continuous process."

Recalling Karnataka's united fight on the Cauvery water  issue,
Siddaramaiah said, "Power may come or go. It is not permanent, but the
land, water, culture and language of this state are paramount."

"It is our responsibility to protect even at the cost  of power and the
state government is committed to it".

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/578790/siddaramaiah-pushes-primacy-regional-languages.html


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