Centre should include Kannada and other regional languages in administration: Kumaraswamy

BENGALURU: JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday urged the Centre to include Kannada and other regional languages in administration,as he objected to its stand that there was no proposal to amend the Official Languages Act.

The former Chief Minister even reminded the centre that all languages are equal in India's federal system as he asked the ruling BJP to amend the law to give equal primacy to regional languages.

"The Centre has said 'No' to a question on whether it proposes to amend the constitution to give primacy to Kannada and other regional languages on par with Hindi.

This is an indication of rejection of a language," Kumaraswamy said in a statement.

Pointing out that Kannada, like Hindi is also a recognised language, he said Kannada is also a national language and the centre should include it and other regional languages in administration.

"Article 343, 344 and 345 in the Constitution encourages promotion of Hindi. Let BJP leaders, who talk about changing the Constitution, make an effort to amend the law to give equal primacy to regional languages on par with Hindi," he added.

In a written reply to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanad Rai on Wednesday had said that there was no proposal to amend the official languages act to include scheduled languages other than Hindi and English as its official languages.

The centre which is refusing to give equal primacy to regional languages must remember that they have formed the government with the support of the non-Hindi speaking Parliamentarians, Kumaraswamy said.

Recently, the Supreme Court while hearing a case has directed the centre that all government orders and publications should be in all recognised and official languages, he said, adding that "Besides, the centre must keep in mind that all languages are equal in a federal system in India."

Kumaraswamy has recently been very critical of the alleged Hindi imposition and discrimination against the people of other languages, especially from the south.

Terming 'Hindi Diwas' celebration as an "underhand method" to impose the language on people speaking other languages, he had on Monday demanded its cancellation.

The JD(S) leader had recently asked as to how much more people of other languages including Kannadigas have to "sacrifice" in this country for not knowing Hindi.