“I will see their end if they are found harassing students for using Telugu,” declared the new chairman of the Official Language Commission, Mandali Buddha Prasad.
The former minister issued this warning on Thursday to private schools soon after assuming charge, amid vedic chants, as the Official Language Commission (OLC) chairman. At a brief event at H Block in the Secretariat, Buddha Prasad took over as the 14th chairman of the OLC. He said private schools would be closed down if they harassed students for conversing in Telugu.
Deputy chief minister Damodar Rajanarasimha, PCC president and transport minister Botcha Satyanarayana, IT minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah, Rajya Sabha member K Chiranjeevi, lyricist Jonnavittula Ramalingeswara Rao and several others greeted Buddha Prasad.
The state government issued orders in Telugu on Oct 23 appointing Buddha Prasad as OLC chairman with four members -- Dr J Gowrisankar, Ayyala Somayajula Gopalarao, NR Venkatesam and Vempalli Abudul Khadir.
The senior Congress leader reveals his plans for development of Telugu language in an interview with Express. Excerpts:
How do you react to your nomination as OLC chairman?
Stalwarts like Vavilala Gopalakrishnaiah served in the post earlier. I will try my best to promote Telugu language.
What are your plans?
During World Telugu Conference in Dec in Tirupati, we will discuss various issues to promote Telugu.
Children in some private schools are subjected to harassment for use of Telugu.
If any student is subjected to ill-treatment in private schools, I will not hesitate to close down such schools. I will see the end of such schools.
Many Telugu film songs these days are filled with English words. Is there any proposal to award lyricists who penned songs without an English word?
This is under active consideration.
There is a demand for separate department for Telugu language
I will try for this. The idea of a separate department for Telugu is good. Further, I will tour the state and ensure old Telugu inscriptions are preserved.