Karnataka to move Apex Court on language policy

The Karnataka Government has decided to move the Supreme Court against the High Court’s recent ruling to spare private primary schools from compulsorily imparting education in Kannada.

After holding a meeting with litterateurs in Bangalore on Tuesday, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa told reporters that the State Government would file an appeal against the High Court verdict in the next two to three days.

“The Government is firm on its stand that primary education should be in Kannada. There is no question of compromise on this issue”, Yeddyurappa declared after he and his senior ministerial colleagues gave a patient hearing to a galaxy of literary personalities from across the state comprising U R Ananthamurthy, G S Shivarudrappa, D Javare Gowda and others.

Most of the speakers at the conclave disapproved with the ruling delivered by the High Court that struck down the 1994 Government order directing all schools in Karnataka to impart primary education in mother tongue or Kannada.

The participants observed that the ruling was not only against the interest of the children and the development of Kannada language, but also went against the spirit of the Supreme Court directive to ensure primary education in mother tongue of the pupils.

A few litterateurs had even suggested the Government to issue an ordinance on mandatory continuation of Kannada as medium of instruction for all primary schools to prevent the managements of private schools from taking advantage of the High Court order.

But, Yeddyurappa had rejected the idea of issuing an ordinance, which could lead to a fresh legal confrontation. “Filing an appeal against the High Court order in the Supreme Court is an appropriate step as advised by the State Advocate General and other legal experts”, the Chief Minister said.