Newskarnataka – Mangalore
Mangalore: Kannada Development Authority Chairman Mukhyamantri Chandru has said that he will not support the demand for a separate Tulu statehood for any reason.
Speaking to reporters at the DC office meeting hall on Monday June 2 he said it was not proper to demand a separate statehood on the mere pretext of development.
Expressing happiness over the taking charge of a new government at the Centre, Chandru at the same time strongly opined that the MPs from the state must take oath in the state language Kannada. At the same time, he said he will not have any objection if the MPs from Tulu speaking region, take oath in Tulu language after the language was included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.
Commenting on the recent Supreme Court ruling which does not make education in Kannada medium mandatory, Mukhyamantri Chandru opined that this ruling may do harm to regional language. He also made a strong case for a new policy by the Centre which while teaching English to students also safeguards the interests of regional languages.
He said the government need to take steps to honour students who have topped in SSLC and PUC exams in taluk levels, to further develop Kannada software and to place Kannada advertisements in Kannada dailies.
Chandru said his tenure as Kannada Development Authority Chairman will end on June 10 and admitted that he could not achieve much progress owing to globalisation, liberalisation and privatisation policies. He said he therefore was bringing out a book on his 33 point demand on ten issues and would place it before the government. He said his demands include making singing of state song mandatory in public functions, to give a new shape to the state flag and to allow the KDA chiefs to complete their full term even if there is change of government.
Kadri Navaneeth Shetty released a book entitled ‘Mahabharathada Mahapaatragalu’ authored by Dr Chandrashekhar Damle based on the 11-day Yakshagana shows held at Sullia.
Dr K Muralidhar, Secretary of the KDA, Sadashiva Prabhu, Additional DC, Khader Shah, Information Officer and others were present.
