BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said people residing in Karnataka should learn Kannada.
In states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh, it is impossible to live without knowing the local language. Whereas in Karnataka, one can live without knowing the local language, the CM said.
Though Kannada is the administrative language of the state, it is not being followed strictly, he said after launching the logo of “Karnataka Sambhrama- 50” at a function organised here by the Department of Kannada and Culture to mark the 50th year of renaming Mysore State as Karnataka.
Siddaramaiah pointed out that the craze for English is the reason for the neglect of Kannada. “Many ministers and officers in the state write notes in English. English can be used while writing to the Union government and other states, but within Karnataka, Kannada should be given prominence in administration,” the chief minister said.
Non-Kannadigas, who have made Karnataka their home, should learn to speak Kannada. “You can live in Karnataka even if you don’t speak Kannada. That is the difference between our state and other states,” Siddaramaiah said.
Year-long gala
The state completed 50 years of its renaming as Karnataka on Nov 1, 2023. “We announced in the budget to celebrate Karnataka Sambhrama - 50 from November 1, 2023 to November 1, 2024,” the CM said.