BENGALURU: The state government has decided to hold year-long celebrations to mark 50 years of renaming of Karnataka with the theme ‘Hesarayithu Karnataka, Usiragali Kannada’.
Speaking at the 68th Kannada Rajyotsava celebrations held at the Kanteerava Stadium after unfurling the National Flag and the Kannada flag, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said, “After reorganisation, this state was known as the Mysore state. On November 1, 1973, the then Chief Minister D Devaraj Urs gave the name Karnataka. It has been 50 years since the state was rechristned Karnataka and to mark the occasion, we will launch a year-long programme to promote the history of Kannada, the language, arts, folk arts, music, culture and traditions”.
The CM said ideally, the celebrations should have been held this year, and blamed the previous BJP government for not organising it. “I had announced the year-long celebrations in the budget. We must all pledge to transact in Kannada and not use any other language. We should be proud of our language, culture and arts and every Kannadiga should take a vow to uphold the language”, he said.
Noting that the love for Kannada language is not as much as in neighbouring states for those languages among people, Siddaramaiah said it is everyone’s responsibility that all residents of Karnataka speak Kannada. “In Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, people speak the official language. If we go to Tamil Nadu, it is difficult without knowing the language, but in Karnataka, one can survive by speaking Tamil or Telugu. Learn any language, but speak in Kannada”, he said.
“Kannada should be the administrative language and should be respected. If administration has to be effective, it should be in Kannada. Officials and citizens should speak in Kannada. I appeal to all officials and politicians to converse in Kannada. The Union government is still conduting examinations in English and Hindi and this should be opposed. Exams should be conducted in the language our children know. I will write to the Prime Minister to conduct exams in Kannada”, the CM said.
Siddaramaiah noted that the desire to learn is waning in Kannada media while the love for English media is increasing. “People should get over the idea that they won’t get jobs if they study in Kannada schools. Even the courts are not cooperating and the Supreme Court has even said that the medium of instruction in schools is the choice of the parents. This has hampered our efforts”, the Chief Minister said.
Siddaramaiah also announced that the electricity and drinking water will be provided free to all government schools in the state from today.
“Our government has launched the Anna Bhagya, Gruha Lakshmi, Shakti, and Yuva Nidhi schemes. Under the Shakti free travel scheme, 80 crore women are availing the benefit and over one crore families are getting money under Anna Bhagya scheme. Over one crore houses are getting free electricity and 1.07 crore women are receiving Rs 2,000 per month under Gruha Lakshmi scheme. The government is working to improve the social and economic condition of Kannadigas so that they can lead a dignified life”, he said.
Before unfurling the flags, the CM received the salute from various marching contingents. Various cultural performances were also presented on the occasion. Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and Primary Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa also spoke.