Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the ones living in Karnataka must know Kannada language, adding that the step is necessary for protecting the language and culture of Karnataka. Siddaramaiah said that speaking our mother tongue should be a matter of pride.
After performing the bhoomi puja ceremony for the construction of a 25-feet-tall bronze statue of Nada Devi Bhuvaneshwari on the premises of Vidhana Soudha on Thursday, the CM said that it is the responsibility of Kannadigas to create and foster a Kannada-centric environment.
"A vow must be made that no language other than Kannada is spoken in the state. Kannadigas are generous. That is why there is an environment in Karnataka where even those who speak other languages can live without learning Kannada. The same situation cannot be seen in Tamil Nadu, Andhra and Kerala. They speak only in their mother tongue," said Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, as quoted by PTI.
Calling on Kannadigas to speak in their mother tongue, Siddaramaiah said there is no need to feel inferior about it. "We also have to speak in our mother tongue. That should make us proud..." he said.
We Must Become Like Bigots in Other States: Siddaramaiah
Asking people living in Karnataka to learn Kannada, the CM said, "It is the duty of all of us to create a Kannada atmosphere. For that, all the people living here should learn Kannada. We cannot remain silent like that. Kannadigas are not insolents. But love for Kannada should be developed. We should not become like the bigots in other states. But we should develop respect and admiration for our language, land and country," he said.
This comes after the Karnataka government made use of 60 per cent Kannada language signboards mandatory in the state. Shop owners in the state were directed to put up signboards with 60 percent content in Kannada language and failing to do so may lead to legal consequences.