Karnataka - Mysore   

Classical language status for Kannada still an issue

MYSORE: It is likely that the issue of according classical language status to Kannada, which has been dormant all these days, will bother the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (Secular) coalition government which will be sworn in Monday.

The issue resurfaced with former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Mysore and writer D. Javare Gowda (Dejagow) observing a dawn to dusk fast here on Saturday, for the Centre to accede to the demand of according classical language status to Kannada.

Addressing presspersons here, the Padmashree recipient, who recently threatened to return the award if the Centre did not accede to the demand, set January 31 as the deadline for the Union Government to accede to the demand.

He also threatened to launch an indefinite fast in case the demand was not met.

The president of the central committee of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), Narayana Gowda, said that the vedike would be organising a rally in Bangalore to put pressure on the Centre. A State-level convention of the vedike will be held in Bangalore on December 1 to appeal to the people of the State to ensure that the elected representatives put pressure on the Union Government.

Mr. Narayana Gowda said, “Two delegations — one comprising writers and another comprising pontiffs of various maths will be taken to New Delhi and a daylong dharna will be conducted at Jantar Mantar. The members of the delegation will also meet the Prime Minister and President and appeal to them to expedite the matter.” He said that failure on the part of the Centre to accede to the demand would force the vedike to resort to the extreme step of locking Central Government offices across the State and stopping the railways and airlines from functioning.

He urged B.S. Yeddyurappa who will be sworn in as Chief Minister of Karnataka on Monday, to employ every possible strategy to influence the Centre to get the classical language status for Kannada.

“We had taken a delegation to Delhi and conducted a dharna at Jantar Mantar to influence the Union Government. Home Minister Shivaraj Patil had assured us of conceding the demand. However, there is a delay because of the pressure from the Andhra Pradesh Government for classical language status for Telugu. We are not against the Centre granting classical language status to Telugu but that should not come in the way of granting similar status to Kannada,” he said.

Criticising the apathy of Members of Parliament representing the State in safeguarding the State’s interest, Mr. Narayana Gowda said that because of their laidback attitude the State was discriminated against.

“Unless, we lobby for our problems it will be difficult to get justice in the federal system,” he said.

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