The spirit of Karnataka is Kannada; language must be respected, adopted across the board: CM

Raichur: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has said that all those living here in Karnataka are deemed Kannadigas.  “No matter what their mother tongue is, the business language of Karnataka should be Kannada,” he asserted.  

“When Dr. Rajkumar joined the Kannada movement, the Gokak movement had gained momentum. Karnataka is synonymous with Kannada,” the CM said.

Addressing an event hosted by the Kannada Development Authority in Raichur on Saturday, he said, “Let Karnataka be enveloped by Kannada culture. The very soil, water and culture here is Kannada. The language that is spoken must also be only Kannada,” he said.

The Department of Kannada and Culture and the Kannada Development Authority had inaugurated a grand convention titled “Gokak Movement: Retrospect-Forecast” organized as part of KDA’s 50^th anniversary.

“As a result of the Gokak movement, the Kannada Kavalu Samiti was formed to expand the Kannada atmosphere in the state.  Later, this same committee became the Kannada Development Authority,” Siddaramaiah said.

“We are free to learn any language, but Kannada should be the official language across Karnataka,” he said.

He said respect should be given to all languages, but not at the cost of the language of the soil. This is the language of the soil we are exploiting. It must be duly honoured,” he said.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister honoured senior Kannada activists and Gokak fighters.

Ministers Shivraj Thangadagi, HC Mahadevappa, Sharan Prakash Patil, and Bosaraju, and Chairman of the Kannada Development Authority Purushottama Bilimale were present.