MANGALURU: A fresh controversy has erupted in Dakshina Kannada over the use of Tulu versus Kannada in local governance, placing the district administration in a delicate position.
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.
Every official is also required to submit an undertaking to that effect,” the official noted. Officials from outside the region posted in Dakshina Kannada expressed difficulties in navigating the language landscape. “In the field and in office, most people speak Tulu. Asking them to switch to Kannada can come across as insensitive,” said an official from North Karnataka.
Tulu Sahitya Academy president Taranath Gatti Kapikad weighed in, defending the local language. “Many people here speak only Tulu, and naturally prefer to use it. Just as Marathi and Urdu enjoy prominence in parts of Belagavi and Bidar, Tulu deserves similar recognition here,” he said. Kapikad demanded that the ZP withdraw the note, arguing that officials must make an effort to learn the local language -- as IAS and IPS officers often do.