Bengaluru: Making an aggressive pitch for Kannada in what is considered a populist move ahead of Assembly polls, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah spoke up about primacy for regional languages as medium of instruction in primary education and urged non-Kannadigas to learn the local language as well.
“They have to get adjusted to local culture, and should learn the local language. It is the responsibility of native Kannadigas to teach outsiders the local language,” he said during his address at Kanteerava Stadium here on the occasion of Kannada Rajyotsava on Wednesday.
Mr Siddaramaiah said he would write yet again to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to introduce an amendment to the Constitution to accord primacy to regional languages. “Parents long for their children to study in English, which is not a good tendency. Learning in mother tongue makes a subject easy to understand. Sir M. Visvesvaraya became a world-renowned engineer by learning the subject in Kannada and (Bharat Ratna recipient) C.N.R. Rao too earned prominence in science by learning the subject in Kannada,” he added.
Earlier, Mr Siddaramaiah delivered a radio address in which he reaffirmed his commitment to protect the interests of the state.
President of Kannada Sahitya Parishath, Manu Baligar, who hoisted the flag, said, “People who do not respect Kannada language and the state, are free to leave. We should learn to respect the culture and language of the state we reside in.” Besides, Kannadigas should use the language in their daily activities. “There are several companies from foreign countries operating in the state and the government should bring in a law to provide jobs for the local people first,” he added.
