BELLARY: Chairman of the Kannada Development Authority, Siddalingaiah, expressed grave concern over the state of Kannada in its homeland.

"It is over 50 years after the unification, yet Kannada is not getting its due and is yet to be implemented as an official language in administration, which is very unfortunate," he said.

He was speaking after inaugurating the "Swabhimaani Kannadigara Samavesha" organised by the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike here on Sunday.

Dr. Siddalingaiah said it was a matter of regret that Kannada was facing such a situation under Kannadigas and the love for English was on the rise. During the British rule, Kannada had got prime position with some of the British officers implementing the language in administration, he said.

Dr. Siddalingaiah held the officials responsible for not implementing Kannada in administration and ignoring the over 300 orders and circulars issued by the Government in this regard.

Call for support

He called upon all pro-Kannada organisations to extend full support to the authority and to the Government to implement Kannada in administration.

Dr. Siddalingaiah felt that it would be an act of "treachery" on the part of entrepreneurs and industrialists if they failed to provide employment to Kannadigas at their units set up in the State. He welcomed the statement Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy underlining the need to employ Kannadigas in these sectors.

On demand for classical status for Kannada, Dr. Siddalingaiah said he was at a loss to understand as to why it was being delayed by the Union government. "When classical status was granted to Tamil, why not for Kannada," he asked.

Vedike president Narayanagouda said that conference was aimed at awakening the Kannadigas against the injustice being meted out to them as far as providing employment and protecting their land and language were considered. Basavanagowda Patil Yatnal, MP and G. Karunakar Reddy, MP, who flagged off a procession, spoke.

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