Vernacular languages in higher education giving wings to rural kids' dreams: Modi

The successive governments did not do enough to support vernaculars. They denied the children of farmers, Dalits and Adivasis (tribals) of rural areas, PM said

In the last seven decades, the political parties have not done enough to strengthen the languages. Instead they ‘played’ with vernacular languages to further their political interests, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday.

In his address after inaugurating Sri Madhusudan Sai Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (SMSIMSR) at Muddenahalli’s Sathya Sai village in the taluk, Modi said, “Kannada is a prosperous language. It has enhanced national pride.”

The successive governments did not do enough to support vernaculars. They denied the children of farmers, Dalits and Adivasis (tribals) of rural areas the opportunities of becoming doctors and engineers. The BJP government at the Centre has come up with a language policy that allows the children to pursue higher education in local languages, including Kannada. Because of which, the sons and daughters from rural areas are becoming doctors and engineers.”

“Our government is according priority to the nutrition and healthcare of women and girls. In furtherance of it, we are providing free sanitary pads, tap water to every household, free gas connections and have come up with a slew of measures on nutrition interventions for women and girls,” Modi explained.

“In the past, the poor were deprived of the quality treatment and expensive surgeries. Realising their problem, the Centre came up with the Ayushman Bharat Yojana to ensure a quality and an affordable healthcare for the poor and underprivileged people. The double-engine government is striving for the development of the state and the country,” the prime minister said.

Modi lauded the Sathya Sai organisation for its pro-people measures, including its efforts to eradicate malnutrition and in providing free education for the children from the marginalised sections.

Tributes to Sir MV

PM Modi, accompanied by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, paid floral tributes to the memorial of Sir M Visvesvaraya at his birthplace Muddenahalli. He later visited the museum dedicated to him.

Sir M V had served as the 19th Diwan of Mysore, under Maharaja, from 1912 to 1918. Considered the architect of modern Mysuru (now Karnataka), Sir MV was awarded the ‘Bharat Ratna’ in 1955.