Siddaramaiah bats for regional languages in primary schools, says learning in mother tongue makes understanding easy

Bengaluru: Renewing his vow to protect the Kannada language and culture, Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday once again batted for primacy to regional languages as a medium of instruction in primary education in all the states and said he would take up the issue with the Centre.

Stating this in his address at a function at the Kanteerava stadium on the occasion of the 62nd formation day of Karnataka, celebrated as “Kannada Rajyotsava”, he said he would soon write to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard.

Siddaramaiah said he had already written to Modi twice, urging him to bring an amendment to the Constitution to accord primacy to the regional languages and added that he would write to him again soon.

“Parents have a clamour for teaching their children in English, which is not a good tendency. Learning in the mother tongue makes a subject easy to understand,” he said.

“Sir M Visvesvaraya became a world-renowned engineer by learning the subject in Kannada and (Bharat Ratna recipient) CNR Rao too earned prominence in science by learning the subject in Kannada,” he added.

Various cultural events and colourful programmes across the state marked the “Kannada Rajyotsava”.

Earlier in the day, Siddaramaiah delivered a radio address, in which he reaffirmed his commitment to protect the interests of the state.

The main attraction was at the Kanteerava stadium, where children from different schools and artistes presented an array of colourful programmes.

The red-and-yellow flag, considered the unofficial Kannada flag, flew high across the city.

On Bannerghatta Road here, people rolled out a two-km-long ‘Kannada flag’ and took out a march.