Puttur, Feb 19: Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Anant Kumar Hegde has kicked up another row. This time, by making a controversial remark on the way people speak Kannada.
Speaking at a programme here, he said, "there are a few people who can translate English to pure Kannada. Barring people from undivided Dakshina Kannada, Shivamogga and Uttara Kannada, others do not have capacity to translate to Kannada. He added that even people from Bengaluru and Mysuru did not speak Kannada properly.
Translating from English to Kannada is a challenging task and technology is advancing. With just a certificate, one will not get any benefit. There is a need to create a "hidden army" through knowledge on cyber security, said the minister.
Congress leaders, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Kannada activists have condemned Mr. Hegde’s statement. His remarks drew flak from his own partymen too. BJP spokesperson S. Suresh Kumar said the comments made by Mr. Hegde were tasteless and had hurt the feelings of Kannadigas, including himself. “The language has many dialects and all are special in their own sense,” he said.
Noted writer Patil Puttappa said: “Most of the Ministers do not know how to speak Kannada and Mr. Hegde has no moral right to speak about this language.” Mr. Hegde later clarified that his remarks were not intended towards hurting anybody and that he was only referring to the manner in which texts were being translated from English to Kannada.
Comments
His knowledge is only hate skill then how he will be a skill minister.As a minister he is wasting his time on unnecessary things rather than focusing on his responsibities with people,the one who made him minister must regret.
How could he develop the skills?
Why should he continue as Skill development minister!!!
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