BENGALURU: Pitching for the supremacy of regional languages, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bring an amendment to the Constitution to make regional languages the medium of instruction in primary education.
Speaking at the Karnataka Rajyotsava celebrations organised by the Department of Public Instruction, Siddaramaiah said that only the Central government can bring amendments to the Constitution.
“I have written two letters to the Prime Minister. I have also written to all the Chief Ministers to bring pressure on the Central government in this regard,” he said.
He also appealed to the Prime Minister to call for a meeting of Chief Ministers and discuss the issue. “There is a need to raise our voice in Parliament too,” he added.
In May 2014, the Supreme Court while hearing a petition challenging two Karnataka Government Orders of 1994, making the mother tongue or regional language compulsory to impart education from Class I to IV, had held that the government cannot impose mother tongue on linguistic minority for imparting primary education.
Siddaramaiah said the state government had announced a language policy in 1994, “which was questioned by unaided educational institutions in courts, where we had to face a setback.”
“We went to the division bench, but again the order was not in our favour. Because of the Supreme Court Order, regional languages are losing the edge,” he said.
Siddaramaiah said Kannada should not be limited to Kannada Rajyotsava or the November month, it should be a continuous process. “When it comes to language, water and land, we need to show our commitment round-the-clock,” he said.
Over 10,000 children from 110 government and private schools participated in the celebrations. During the occasion, Siddaramaiah gave laptops to SSLC toppers.