‘Kannada facing threat under BJP govt’
Jnanpith awardee Kambara honoured at city college as part of Bahuroopi
Mincing no words in criticising the BJP government which has decided to close down Kannada schools on the pretext of ‘low turn out of students’, Jnanpith awardee writer Chandrashekhar Kambara said this government is clearly ‘anti-Kannada’ in its decision.
Speaking to media persons before taking part in felicitation programme organised in his honour at a private college here on Monday, Kambara regretted that the government had not thought of ways and means of increasing admissions than shutting down the schools.
“This must be the only government that is bent upon stunting the growth of its own state language, by taking such decisions. Despite the dressing down given by the court that the government was blaming circumstances for something it didn’t deliver as a duty,” Kambara said.
Pointing out that the government didn’t even care enough to construct and maintain toilets in many schools which had girl students and women teachers, it would be rather unrealistic for people to even expect it to act sensibly in this matter.
“If the students desire to learn English for better jobs which will ensure them improved standard of life, why can’t the government find ways of teaching English with Kannada as medium of instruction? I am sure we have experts on board who can draw up curriculum for this,” he said.
Commenting on Chief Minister’s statement about a separate ‘yuva budget’ and criticising the capitalists for grabbing land and resources without showing any responsibility towards giving jobs to locals (Kannadigas), Kambara said unemployment was growing manifold owing to this.
“Why do we need yuva budget? Let the Chief Minister give us ‘employment budget’ this will pacify the hunger of so many families across the state. Why should our children be deprived of everything that was theirs, only to make way for a huge establishment which does not even allow them to live a life of dignity?” he asked.
