Kannada made 'compulsory' in all state, central govt events in Karnataka

The boards and screens on the stage of all the programmes conducted by the central and state governments should have text in the Kannada language, according to the order.

The Karnataka government has issued an official circular which said that Kannada should be a compulsory language in central and state government programmes which are organised in the state. Issued by Karnataka chief secretary Vandita Sharma, the letter mentioned that the Kannada language should be the priority in the state and it cannot be skipped. The boards and screens on the stage of all the programmes conducted by the central and state governments should have text in the Kannada language, according to the order.

The Karnataka government has issued an official circular which said that Kannada should be a compulsory language in central and state government programmes which are organised in the state. (AFP FILE PHOTO)

The order further stated, “The Karnataka State Language Act, 1953 specified that Kannada should be used as the state language of Karnataka. In Karnataka, Kannada is the official language as well as the sovereign language. The Kannada Development Authority has been formed to protect the Kannada language and the interests of the Kannadigas in accordance with the law regarding the implementation of Kannada as the official language in the state. Chairman of Kannada Development Authority on 06/082022 mentioned about the use of Kannada language by Central and State Governments. In this regard, it is requested to give strict direction to the heads of all government departments to use Kannada compulsorily in the program as a whole in the screens and panels used on the platform.”

Earlier, when Union home minister Amit Shah visited Karnataka, the boards were placed in Hindi at an event that was attended by him. This had sparked a row and the opposition even alleged that the BJP government is trying to impose Hindi in the state.