BENGALURU: After Tamil Nadu, voices against “Hindi imposition” and the three-language formula proposed under NEP are getting louder in Karnataka, too, with Kannada Development Authority (KDA) writing to chief minister Siddaramaiah to adopt a two-language policy in the state. “Considering the variety of discussions going on regarding the language issue, it seems Karnataka needs a bilingual formula,” KDA chief Purushottham Bilimale wrote.
Bilimale also forwarded a copy of a letter he had received from Ramesh Bellamkonda, a member of Namma Naadu Namma Aalvike, alleging a language inequity existed in the country, with Hindi being imposed on non-Hindi-speaking populations.
Ramesh, too, advocated a two-language formula – with Kannada and English being the two compulsory languages in the state for education, governance, and general interaction. Kannada should have primacy and English should be the second language, he said.
As per the Kannada Language Learning Rules-2017, students in the state have to learn Kannada as the second language, irrespective of the board their school is affiliated with.
Ramesh also batted for ensuring fairness for sub-regional languages, such as Tulu, in consultation with people in the respective sub-regions. In addition, facilities for those interested in learning any number of other languages, depending on their individual choices or circumstances, should exist, but the burden of learning languages should be kept to a minimum possible level, he said.