President of the Kannada Sahitya Parishath (KSP) Pundalika Halambi on Thursday urged the State government to initiate steps to guarantee jobs to Kannadigas in government departments, public sector undertakings and multi-national companies, as recommended in the Sarojini Mahishi report.
Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day Udupi district Kannada Sahitya Sammelan organised by the district unit of the KSP, here, Mr. Halambi said the implementation of the Mahishi recommendations had become essential to motivate parents to send their children to Kannada medium schools as there was an overwhelming feeling that the future of children was secure only if they studied in English medium schools. He, however, said that the Mahishi report needed amendments since it was prepared two decades ago and had not factored in the changes brought about by the IT and BT revolution.
He regretted that Kannada, which has a history of over 2,000 years and secured eight Jnanpith Awards, was facing a survival battle. “People should be reassured that they would get jobs if they studied in Kannada medium. Provide 50 per cent reservations in CET admissions and government jobs for those who study in Kannada medium,” he said.
Ambatanaya Mudrady, writer and president of the sammelan, said that people were obsessed with English language. This fascination had reached such limits that Kannada medium schools were closing down.
