Everyone in Karnataka Should Learn to Speak Kannada, Says CM Siddarmaiah

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that everyone in the state should learn Kannada.

Siddaramaiah made the comments while addressing school children on "Karnataka Rajyotsava day" (Karnataka Formation Day).

He also unfurled the Karnataka state flag (Yellow and Red) at the Kanteerava Stadium.

"Everyone who lives in Karnataka is a Kannadiga and should learn Kannada and make their children learn the language as well. I am not against learning any language, but one should not forget if you don't learn Kannada that means you are showing disrespect to Kannada," Siddaramaiah said.

The Karnataka government has already notified a draft copy of making Kannada as a subject compulsory in all schools in the state. "Bharat Ratna CNR Rao, Engineer Vishveshwaraiah studied in Kannada medium schools and still became world famous personalities. The notion of not getting good education in Kannada schools is wrong and must go," he added Siddaramaiah.

Earlier, the Congress-led state government also constituted a committee to look into the design of a state flag. "Our government has popularly held an opinion that we need a state flag. We have formed an expert committee bowing to this petition. We will soon take a final decision on this," Siddaramaiah said.

The expert committee is said to give out its first report on the matter before the winter assembly session in November 13th.

The move to make Kannada compulsory in schools has come in the backdrop of series of events which the government has taken up in the name of protecting the language. Earlier, the government had recommended 100% reservation for Kannadigas for blue-collared jobs in private and government sector. The government also removed Hindi signs in metro stations and stuck to two language policy (English and Kannada).

However, BJP is alleging that the Congress is trying to consolidate Kannada vote bank by the being pro-Kannada ahead of assembly elections.

Meanwhile, BJP, Congress and the JD(S), the three major political parties in the state, unfurled the Karanataka flag in their respective party office.