Karnataka govt puts gomala land grant to RSS-linked Trust on hold

News Network

July 14, 2023

Bengaluru, July 14: The grant of 35.33 acres of gomala land to the RSS-linked Janaseva Trust in Bengaluru has been put on hold by the Siddaramaiah-led Congress administration, along with other such allotments made by the previous BJP government.

In September last year, the BJP government gave 35.33 acres of gomala — government land reserved for animal grazing — at Kurubarahalli, Tavarekere in Bengaluru South taluk to the Janaseva Trust.

Five days after taking office, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah issued a note on May 25, directing authorities to maintain the status quo on lands granted by the previous BJP government.

In a written reply to BJP lawmaker ST Somashekar’s question on government lands given to various organisations in the Bengaluru South taluk, Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda cited the CM’s note to say that the allotment of 35.33 acres to the Janaseva Trust is on hold.

Gowda said the CM’s note is applicable not just to the Janaseva Trust, but to all allotments made in the months leading up to the Assembly election.

The Janaseva Trust runs educational institutions at Channenahalli on Magadi Road. When contacted, Janaseva Trust secretary Nirmal Kumar said: “There is no communication regarding this to the Trust from any source of the government.”

Between 2019 and 2022, when the BJP was in power, 252.36 acres of gomala land in nine districts was granted to various organisations, including the Adichunchunagiri Mutt, Siddaganga Mutt, ISKCON, Rashtrotthana Parishat, Karnataka Lawn Tennis Association, Vokkaligara Sangha and others.

“We’re reviewing cases of hurried allotments, which includes undeserving grants,” Gowda said. The minister pointed out that one nonprofit was granted 35 acres of land for the purpose of a goshala. “We will review grants on the basis of eligibility and objective. We'll look at whether or not public interest was involved,” he added.

In 2018, the Comptroller & Auditor General (CAG) had flagged the grant of gomala lands.

The Karnataka Land Revenue Rules require 30 acres to be earmarked for every 100 cattle as gomala. A deputy commissioner can reduce gomala land only with prior approval. The CAG had pointed out that various High Court judgements asked the government not to grant gomala land. But in January 2008, rules were amended to allow grant of gomala land situated in and around city limits.

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Historic Milestone: Tulu script gains global digital recognition with inclusion in Unicode 16

News Network

September 9,2024

Mangaluru: The Unicode Consortium has announced the inclusion of Tulu script in its latest version, Unicode 16. This update adds 80 characters to the Unicode Standard, marking a significant milestone for the Tulu-speaking community.

According to officials, the journey to this achievement began in 2001 when a member of the Unicode Consortium helped fix the Kannada script in Unicode and simultaneously advocated for the inclusion of Tulu.

Despite initial misunderstandings with the Tulu Academy in Mangaluru, the groundwork was laid for future developments. Initially, three Tulu experts had worked on the subject, including S A Krishnaiah, a Tulu scholar.

"In 2014, efforts to create a Tulu Wikipedia gained momentum, leading to its launch on August 6, 2016. By 2017, the Tulu Academy recognised the need for Tulu Unicode, forming a committee to finalise the characters with technical guidance. Concurrently, another proposal for the Tilari script was submitted," Krishnaiah said.

After extensive correspondence, the script was officially added to Unicode under the name Tulu-Tigalari. While there are minor differences between the Tulu Academy's list and the finalised Unicode version, most characters have been included. Notably, Tulu digits and some diacritic marks necessary for writing Sanskrit in Tulu script were added, he said.

According to him, the inclusion of the Tulu script in Unicode will have a significant positive impact on digital communication for Tulu speakers, including enhanced digital presence. Tulu speakers can now use their native script across various digital platforms, including social media, websites, and messaging apps, fostering a stronger online presence.

The availability of Tulu in Unicode will facilitate the creation of educational materials, such as textbooks and online courses, in the Tulu script, supporting language learning and literacy, he said.

The development of Unicode-encoded fonts, keyboard software, and converters will streamline the use of Tulu in digital communication, making it easier for users to type and share information in their native script, he said.

Being part of the Unicode Standard gives Tulu global recognition, encouraging more software and application developers to support the script, thereby increasing its usability and visibility, the Tulu scholar said.

Overall, this will empower Tulu speakers to communicate more effectively and confidently in their language, both locally and globally.

It is estimated that over 1.8 million people worldwide speak Tulu. Most Tulu speakers live in the coastal areas of Karnataka and Kerala, India, in regions known as Tulu Nadu. There are also Tulu speakers in the Gulf countries and the United States, he said.

Tulu is a Dravidian language and is related to Kannada, the official language of Karnataka. Tulu has a rich oral tradition, but there isn't much written in the language. Tulu's script is similar to Malayalam and originated from the Grantha script.

A long-drawn fight is ongoing to include Tulu in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. The Dravidian University at Kuppam in Andhra Pradesh has a special Tulu chair, he added.

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