On the 70th Karnataka Rajyotsava, Karnataka’s Chief Minister Siddaramaiah strongly criticized the central government, led by the BJP, accusing it of neglecting Indian languages other than Hindi and Sanskrit. Speaking in Bengaluru, he urged the people of Karnataka to unite against any forces that are anti-Kannada.
Siddaramaiah pointed out the perceived unfairness in the allocation of grants, stating, “Grants are given for the development of Hindi and Sanskrit, while other languages of the country are being neglected.” He also alleged that Karnataka receives only a fraction of the revenue it contributes to the central exchequer, which he claimed was around ₹4.5 lakh crore annually.
The Chief Minister emphasized that the classical language Kannada is not being given its due, asserting, “Injustice is being done to the classical language Kannada by denying adequate funds for its growth.” He further accused the central government of imposing Hindi and treating Karnataka with “step-motherly treatment.”
Expressing concern over the impact of English and Hindi on children’s cognitive abilities, Siddaramaiah advocated for a law that would make the mother tongue the primary medium of instruction. He drew a parallel with developed nations where children learn and think in their mother tongue, suggesting that the current system in India might be hindering the intellectual development of young minds.
The article also briefly mentions November 1 as the formation day for several Indian states, including Karnataka, Kerala, and Madhya Pradesh in 1956, and Chhattisgarh in 2000. Puducherry’s liberation day on November 1, commemorating its de facto transfer from French to Indian administration in 1954, is also noted.
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