The Hindu : Karnataka News : Idinabba keen on madrasas adopting Kannada

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 07, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka

Idinabba keen on madrasas adopting Kannada

By Jaideep Shenoy

MANGALORE, MARCH 6. The Karnataka Development Authority is seriously pursuing the issue of promoting Kannada in madrasas across the State. The authority has written letters to this effect to managements of all madrasas in Karnataka urging them to change the medium of instruction from Urdu and Malayalam to Kannada.

The Chairman of the authority, B.M. Idinabba, told The Hindu here on Sunday that none of his predecessors have touched the issue in the past given its sensitive nature. He said that while most madrasas in north Karnataka districts impart religious education in Urdu, Malayalam is the preferred medium of instruction in Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Chikmagalur and Udupi districts.

Mr. Idinabba opined that the planners are losing out on a great opportunity to bring more number of Kannadigas into the Kannada-speaking fold with this apathetic attitude.

"I personally directed those concerned to provide me with a list of all madrasas in the State and wrote letters urging people heading them to change their medium of instruction to Kannada," he noted.

"Once madrasas adopt Kannada syllabus and begin imparting religious teaching in that language, it will have a salutary effect in that many people will begin speaking Kannada," he noted.

"Many madrasas have also accepted my viewpoint on the issue," he said and added that they have taken steps to draft the syllabus in Kannada.

However, madrassas in a few districts are yet to comply with the request of the authority, he said.

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