Mangalore, October 14: Respect and love for the Kannada must come out from one's heart, as mere slogans and rallies cannot preserve the language, said Mangalore MP Nalin Kumar Kateel.
He was speaking after inaugurating the stage programme organised as part of 'Kannada Nudi Theru Jagruti Jatha' at Town Hall here on Friday. The four-day awareness Jatha organised by Kannada Development Authority (KDA) in association with Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district administrations had reached city Thursday night.
It is unfortunate that we had to organise programmes like 'Nudi Theru' to preserve and promote Kannada, despite the fact that it is our state language, he lamented.
However, he added, the effort of KDA and Kannada lovers to preserve and promote the state language is appreciable.
“Due to continuous attack on Kannada by other languages and lack of concern in Kannadigas about their mother tongue, the state language of Karnataka has reached coma stage”, he said adding that if a language dies, it is the death of a culture and society.
Kannada in Lok Sabha
The MP also bagged applause by pledging that he would continue to speak in Kannada in the Lok Sabha. “I will speak in Lok Sabha only in Kannada,” he pledged.
Speaking on the occasion, KDA chairman Mukhyamanthri Chandru said that when Kannada itself has reached to this position, the situation of local languages like Beary, Kodava, Tulu, etc., is more pathetic.
Stating that promoting Kannada is not hating other languages, Mr Chandru called upon the Kannadigas to cultivate love and respect for their mother tongue amidst other languages. He also suggested them to preserve and promote the original beauty of spoken Kannada and folk Kannada while promoting the language in practical.
He also exhorted the people to use sophisticated and healthy Kannada words instead of indecent and rude words.
The KDA chairman noted the disinclination towards the Kannada hoardings and boards among people in Dakshina Kannada despite they love and respect the language.
Disappointment
Mr Chandru expressed his disappointment over the lack of facilities provided to the team of over 150 artists, who accompanied the Nudi Theru, which entered the city last night. “I had brought these artists here to preserve and promote the fragrance of 'swadeshi culture', which is on the verge of extinction due to the advent of foreign culture” said Mr Chandru.
Responding to this, Zilla Panchayath president KT Shailaja Bhat apologised for improper arrangements for the artists' team.
Deputy Speaker of Karnataka Legislative Assembly Yogish Bhat presided over the programme.
Mangalore MLA UT Khader, Zilla Panchayath vice-president Dhanalakshmi Janardhan, Deputy Mayor Geetha Nayak, Taluk Panchayath President Bhavya Gangadhar Poojary, Assistant Directorof Department of Kannada and Culture Mangal V Nayak, Mangala Nayak, Mangalore City Corporation Commissioner Dr. Harish Kumar were present among others as chief guests.
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