BENGALURU: With debates intensifying over the third language policy and imposition of Hindi, Tuluva Sangam, a group consisting of Tulunad activists, is demanding fulfilment of a long-standing appeal - official recognition of Tulu in Karnataka.
At a press conference on Saturday, the group stressed the language’s historical and cultural significance, along with the challenges faced by Tulu speakers, emphasising the need for policy changes to preserve and promote Tulu.
Rajaramshetty Uppal, chairman of Tuluva Sangam, highlighted that as per the 2011 census, 18.5 lakh people officially speak Tulu, but estimates from the Karnataka Tulu Academy and Tuluva Sangh suggest the actual number is around 35-40 lakh in Karnataka, with over one crore speakers globally.
“Despite its 3,000-year-old history, Tulu has yet to be granted official language status, unlike languages such as Maithili (Bihar), Bodo (Assam), Dogri (Jammu and Kashmir), and Santali (Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal), which have been recognized under Article 345B of the Constitution,” he added.
The forum emphasised that under Article 345A of the Constitution, states have the power to recognise their own official languages, urging the state government to take necessary steps toward granting Tulu official status.