Protesting against the Central government for not giving Kannada language classical status, former vice chancellor D Javare Gowda has decided to undertake a fast on October 2, November 1 and November 30.

Speaking at a press meet here on Saturday, he said, ”Bowing down to pressure from Tamil Nadu, the Central government declared Tamil as a classical language. Even though Kannada meets all the essential criteria, the government has not made up its mind.”

He said he would sit for a day’s fast protesting against the injustice of Central government. “If government does not take the issue seriously,  the protest will be intensified by beginning an indefinite hunger strike from January 1,” he said.

“Kavi Raja Margha, the first literary work in Kannada was written in the ninth century. Tamil Nadu’s claims of their language not being influenced by any language is not acceptable, as the language is very much influenced by Sanskrit,” he added.

“The technical committee has agreed to give classical status to our language, but unfortunately the pressure put by Tamil Nadu government is stopping the Union Cultural Ministry to take up the issue. Regarding this matter MPs from Karanataka should be pressurised, especially those belonging to Congress,” he said.