Tulu vs Kannada: Language row erupts in Dakshina Kannada
The trigger was a petition filed by Muralidhar, convener of the Yashashwi Nagarika Seva Sangha, Karkala, urging the authorities to ensure Kannada -- and not Tulu -- is given primacy during monthly gram panchayat meetings. In response, the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat forwarded the request to the executive officers of all taluk panchayats, advising them to take 'necessary action as per the rules'.
Though the Karnataka Official Language Act, 1963, mandates the use of Kannada for all government communication, Tulu remains the dominant spoken language. This linguistic duality has placed officials in a bind -- enforcing the rule may alienate local communities, yet ignoring it risks violating statutory norms.
Notably, the ZP avoided pushing for stringent enforcement. Unlike typical protocol, it did not seek an action-taken report from taluk officials -- a move interpreted as a cautious attempt to avoid inflaming sentiments.
'No guidelines on regional languages'
However, the issue snowballed into a political flashpoint after BJP seized upon the ZP's internal note, issued on April 22, 2025. Former chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda and Udupi-Chikkamagaluru MP Kota Srinivas Poojary took aim at the Congress government, accusing it of attempting to marginalise Tulu. In a post on 'X', Gowda questioned, 'Can Urdu be used in government files?' -- a remark that drew criticism for communal overtones.
A senior government official, requesting anonymity, clarified that while Kannada is compulsory for official use, no explicit guidelines exist on the status of regional languages in meetings. 'Each month, departments must report how many staff members use Kannada in administration.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
Pakistan Army chief Munir rejects speculation over President Zardari's ouster
Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir dismissed rumours about President Asif Ali Zardari's removal as false, stressing unity between the government and the establishment. Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir has ruled out any change in the leadership, describing rumours about the removal of President Asif Ali Zardari as completely false and against both the government and the establishment, a media report said on Saturday. In July, social media reports began to circulate that President Zardari may be asked to step down and that the army chief would take over the top office. However, top government officials — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi — rejected such claims. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Suhail Warraich, a columnist for the Jang media group, claimed in an article published Saturday that the army chief had spoken to him in person on the matter during a recent meeting in Brussels. Munir briefly stayed in Belgium on his return from last week's visit to the United States. 'The talk started with politics, especially on rumours that there is some effort to change the president of Pakistan as well as the prime minister. Field Marshal Munir clearly said, during both the Brussels gathering and in his two-hour discussion with me, that the rumours about a change were completely false,' Warraich claimed in the column published in the Urdu daily Jang. 'There are elements behind this (rumour) who oppose both the government and the authorities and wish to create political anarchy,' the army chief was quoted as saying. The article claimed that Munir also outlined his ambitions in the Brussels gathering, saying that: 'God has made me protector of the country. I do not desire any position other than that.' 'On a question about politics, he [Munir] said that political reconciliation is possible only if there is a sincere apology,' the report read. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Although it was not clear who Munir was referring to, it can be inferred that he may have been referring to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf: and its incarcerated leader, Imran Khan. On foreign relations, Munir was said to have expressed confidence in maintaining equilibrium between the US and China. 'We will not sacrifice one friend for the other,' Munir was quoted as saying. The army chief also described President Donald Trump's efforts for peace as 'genuine', and said Pakistan had taken the lead in nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize, which was then followed by other nations.
News18
3 hours ago
- News18
Pak Army chief Munir rules out change in country's leadership: Report
Last Updated: Islamabad, Aug 16 (PTI) Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir has ruled out any change in the leadership, describing rumours about the removal of President Asif Ali Zardari as completely false and against both the government and the establishment, a media report said on Saturday. In July, social media reports began to circulate that President Zardari may be asked to step down and that the army chief would take over the top office. However, top government officials — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi — rejected such claims. Suhail Warraich, a columnist for the Jang media group, claimed in an article published Saturday that the army chief had spoken to him in person on the matter during a recent meeting in Brussels. Munir briefly stayed in Belgium on his return from last week's visit to the United States. 'The talk started with politics, especially on rumours that there is some effort to change the president of Pakistan as well as the prime minister. Field Marshal Munir clearly said, during both the Brussels gathering and in his two-hour discussion with me, that the rumours about a change were completely false," Warraich claimed in the column published in the Urdu daily Jang. The article claimed that Munir also outlined his ambitions in the Brussels gathering, saying that: 'God has made me protector of the country. I do not desire any position other than that." 'On a question about politics, he [Munir] said that political reconciliation is possible only if there is a sincere apology," the report read. Although it was not clear who Munir was referring to, it can be inferred that he may have been referring to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and its incarcerated leader, Imran Khan. On foreign relations, Munir was said to have expressed confidence in maintaining equilibrium between the US and China. 'We will not sacrifice one friend for the other," Munir was quoted as saying. The army chief also described President Donald Trump's efforts for peace as 'genuine", and said Pakistan had taken the lead in nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize, which was then followed by other nations. PTI SH RD ZH RD RD (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: August 17, 2025, 00:00 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
#IDontKnowHomeMinister' goes viral, G Parameshwara tells trolls to find out who is the best
Bengaluru: For home minister G Parameshwara, the words "I don't know" have become both a shield and a punchline. Trolled online for his stock answer to almost every tricky question, the minister turned defence into attack on Saturday by roping in Artificial Intelligence. "Ask ChatGPT. It says Parameshwara is the no.1 home minister in India. Let the trolls verify that," he shot back at reporters in Tumakuru, visibly irritated as the hashtag #IDontKnowHomeMinister (Kannada: #GottillaGruhasachivaru) trended on social media. The trolling began after Parameshwara admitted he had "no idea" why cooperation minister KN Rajanna had suddenly resigned. Netizens quickly dug up a series of past press interactions wherein his replies began with the now-famous two words. Memes, reels, and sarcastic posts flooded timelines. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru | Gold Rates Today in Bengaluru | Silver Rates Today in Bengaluru Unfazed, Parameshwara explained, "If I don't have the details, I won't speculate. As home minister, I can't say something casually. If people want to troll me, that's their right." Earlier, he warned the Tumakuru media not to find mistakes and vilify the district. "Inform us before mistakes happen and tell us to rectify it before publicizing them," he said. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
