New Delhi: A recent press release issued by the Dehali Karnataka Sangha, recently stated that the Congress president Sonia Gandhi has assured that she would hold a talk with the CM of Karnataka to make Tulu an official language.

The release published said that Sonia gave this assurance when a delegation met her on Monday October 13. She said that she would speak to CM Siddaramaiah on making Tulu an official language of Karnataka.

 The release said that the delegation was led by president of the Sangha and member of Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy Vasanth Shetty Bellare along with general secretary of the Sangha CM Nagaraj, its joint secretary Hemalatha CS. They were also accompanied by a Pilivesha troupe.

The delegation met Sonia Gandhi, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation GM Siddeshwara, former Ministers M Veerappa Moily and Oscar Fernandes, and submitted a memorandum to them.

The delegation sought measures to add Tulu in the eighth schedule of the Constitution so that it gets official recognition as a language of the country.

They also urged the State government to release an amount of Rs. 4 crore to Jawaharlal Nehru University to start a Kannada Chair on its premises by Rajyothsava Day (November 1).

GM Siddeshwara, who supported the demand for starting the chair on the JNU campus and making Tulu a scheduled language, enjoyed the tiger dance by playing the leather instrument Tashe for several minutes.