Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday, with reference to the Supreme Court verdict on the medium of instruction in primary education, said that the government will take a stand only after studying the order.
Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Education Kimmane Ratnakar said that he would hold a meeting on Wednesday with pro-Kannada organisations, writers, academics and members of Kannada Sahitya Parishat on the issue. He said that the Chief Minister would be apprised of the outcome. “This is a blow to all States where regional languages are not getting prominence.”
‘State has no power’ PTI reports:
A five-judge Constitution Bench, headed by Chief Justice R.M. Lodha, on Tuesday said: “(The) State has no power to compel linguistic minority to impart primary education, by compulsorily imposing regional language.” It said that the government cannot impose mother tongue on linguistic minorities in primary education.
The Bench was hearing the issue which had come before it, as two Government Orders of 1994 making mother tongue or regional language compulsory for imparting education in classes I to IV were challenged.
