Kalaburagi, Feb 6: The State government will take steps to ensure that Kannada as a language is taught in all private schools, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa announced today at the 85th Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana in Kalaburagi.
This comes in the wake of the demand by some Kannada activists for making Kannada medium compulsory in all schools in the State. Sammelana president H.S. Venkatesh Murthy, who spoke after the Chief Minister, also made this demand.
The Chief Minister said “We are committed to putting in place a series of steps to see that Kannada is taught in all schools, aided and private, as a language. Kannada should be taught as the first or second language. We will also take steps to strengthen government schools. However, the government alone cannot do much. The community and parents should offer support to make sure that government schools provide quality education to all.”
To inculcate the spirit of scientific inquiry, the State government is setting up mobile planetariums. This will increase the interest of children in space technology and India’s efforts in space exploration.
The government is committed to protecting the interests of the State in Mahadayi and other river water disputes. It will take the border row issue, based on the Mahajan Commission report pending in the Supreme Court, to its logical end.
The government will also address backwardness and related issues. It will make sure that adequate funds are allocated to the development of Kalyana Karnataka. Among other things, it will establish a hostel for students from Kalaburagi region in Bengaluru. Land has been allotted in Nagarabavi for the hostel that can accommodate around 200 students. The government has decided to celebrate Kalyana Karnataka Utsav once every two years. This will showcase the culture of the region.
“We are working towards forging sentimental and emotional unity of the State other than unity based on language or administration. Our dream is to see that Karnataka remains a homogeneous unit with equality and equal opportunity for all,’’ the Chief Minister added.
Kambar bats for technology
Chandrashekar Kambar, Sahitya Akademi president and former president of the Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana, favoured effective implementation of technology in administration and for universal use of Kannada in computing and e-governance.
Speaking at the Sammelana inauguration, he said “Several years ago, at the insistence of writer Poornachandra Tejaswi, I appealed to the State government to give a push to Kannada computing. We were convinced that no language can survive without the use of modern technology and use of the language in computers. The Department of Kannada and Culture, headed by then director Manu Baligar, released ₹2 crore for the project. The work began in earnest and teams of technologists came up with software and fonts. Some departments started using Kannada software. But this work has stopped or slowed down at some level. I appeal to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to continue the work and ensure that computerised Kannada is used at all levels of government and in e-governance.’’
Supports dubbing
Mr. Kambar batted for content dubbing of informative TV channels in Kannada. Channels such as Discovery and History produce good quality content that can be educative and informative. They are very useful for children. These channels are now available in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi and some other Indian languages. But they are not available in Kannada. That is because some people in the film industry are opposing dubbing. Such opposition is not good. Informative channels are our window to the world and allowing dubbing will enhance our knowledge base. There is no merit in not allowing dubbing. I appeal to C.T. Ravi, Minister for Kannada and Culture, to allow dubbing in Kannada, he said.
Mr. Kambar favoured primary education in the mother tongue of the child and urged the State government to introduce universal and compulsory education in Kannada medium in all schools. “This will help preserve our culture. Nothing else can,’’ he said.
He blamed the East India Company administration for inculcating a craze for English education among the people. “The introduction of English education by the British was strongly welcomed by the masses in India as they had been denied the opportunity for education for millenia. The deprived classes and Dalits who had not been exposed to education till then, were excited about the opportunity. However, along with English education, the British were successful in introducing inferiority in our minds. We are yet to escape from this inferiority complex.”
Quoting from Greek mythology, Mr. Kambar said that Hercules had killed his children and relatives in a fit of alcohol-induced rage. “We should not behave like that. We may be very strong, but we should not kill our mother tongue, in our power-induced rage,’’ he said.
Comments
This is not only your question. my question too. that’s why we should end the mhar competition. Otherwise your son also may follow the same path one day.
Masha Allah! it is good to note that some of our brothers brought the globally acclaimed Islamic Scholar to Mangalore.
It would have been more beneficial for the community if the hosts arranged one two public programs in Mangalore and Kasaragod.
Masha Allah Masha Allah happy to see Mufti Menk at our place.Good message to the youth regarding non-competition over mahr.
My Reply to A Mangalorean. Why did your son agree to pay that much Mehr while it was not under his capacity. May be he tried to show his Father in Law that he is also a rich person. Why one should put himself in debt. Now he will have to pay interest on the loan and this is agaisnt the teaching of Islam. We will not put ourself in trouble if we follow simple way tought by our Prophet. May Allah bless us with right way Islam and keep us away from show up.
Hahaha
I m absolutely delighted that Mufti Menk has visited our place and given lecture on Mahr to Manglorean Muslims.
Hoping to see him again and again !!
Good that mufti menk has taken initiative to end mahr competition. Hope it won’t be the beginning of the ‘mufti competition’. Now another NRI businessman in mangalore may think of bringing numan ali khan for next wedding in family (kidding)
Welcome to mufti menk a renowed international scholar to Mangalore. Mufti should advise the rich muslims of coastal Karnatkada to refrain from luxury marriage style with luxury marriage halls and luxury foods.
Unlucky that i was not part of this event. Mufti Sir do visit Manglore frequetly and guide mangloreans who indulged in shirk and diddah... May god bles you, give you good health and long life.
demanding dowry is not islamic culture. he has given series of lectures on that issue. if you want u can google and listen. but what he did here is a timely decision- he pervented show off. why he should talk about non-islamic system of dowry at a wedding where there was no dowry?
A considerable number of Mangalore muslims have adopted the Hindu custom of dowry. But mhar has not disappeared. At the same time among rich muslims there is definitely competition over mahr. This had happened in my son’s wedding too. he had borrowed huge loan to pay a Rs 50 lakh gold as mahr. so I personally feel that Mufti menk’s initiative is good.
Thants Right, instead of speaking about the dowry system which is demanded by the men as oppose to the mahr he is speaking opposite which is very trivial issue in comparison to what a girl's parents suffer.
Barakallau lakumaa wa baarik alaikumaa wa jam'a bainakumaa fee khair. May Allah(swt) bless the new couple. Ameen.
Mahr was never a competition here. Its all peanuts compared to the jwellery the bride wears from her fathers hard earned money. If not that, then its the brand new car in display outside the wedding hall, again brought by the brides father for the bridegroom.
mufti menk has not realised that most of the bearys hav sold themselves to the indian custom of dowry for demand or for self prestige
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