Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said it is the responsibility of every Kannadiga to protect Kannada language, land and water. He called for creating a Kannada atmosphere in Karnataka. “It is everyone’s duty to create a Kannada atmosphere. For this, all people living in Karnataka should learn Kannada. We cannot remain silent like this,” he said. He was addressing a gathering after performing bhoomi pujan for the construction of a bronze statue of Goddess Nada Devi Bhuvaneshwari near the western entrance of Vidhana Soudha as part of the Karnataka Namakaran Suvarna Mahotsav celebrations organised by the Kannada and Culture Department. “Kannadigas are not arrogant. But love for Kannada should be developed. We should not become like the fanatics of other states. But we should develop respect and appreciation for our language, land and country,” he said. He said, “Everyone should decide to speak in Kannada with the people living in Karnataka. One should take an oath that no other language will be spoken except Kannada. Kannadigas are liberal. That is why there is such an atmosphere in Karnataka that even those who speak other languages can live without learning Kannada.” He said, “Such a situation cannot be seen in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala. They speak only in their mother tongue. We should also speak in our mother tongue. This should make us proud.” Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that he hopes that the statue of Maa Bhuvaneshwari will inspire everyone in this regard. He said that the work should be completed by November 2024 as there is no shortage of funds. The Chief Minister said that a bronze statue of about 25 feet high will be erected in the premises of the Vidhana Soudha. He said, “We have installed statues of many politicians. I think the statue will increase the attraction of the Vidhana Soudha.”
CM Siddaramaiah: Everyone living in Karnataka should learn Kannada
