No legal bar on use of Tulu in panchayat meetings, clarifies language academy chief
Mangaluru (Karnataka), Jun 20 (PTI): The Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy on Friday clarified that there is no legal restriction on the use of Tulu language in gram panchayat meetings, amid concerns raised over a recent advisory issued by the Dakshina Kannada district administration.
Taranath Gatti Kapikad, president of the academy, said elected representatives are free to use Tulu during discussions in gram panchayat general body meetings, and that there is no statutory provision that limits the use of regional languages in such forums.
The clarification follows a representation submitted by a local civil society group, Yashaswi Nagarika Seva Samsthe, to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Dakshina Kannada Zilla Panchayat.
The petition had urged the district authorities to discourage the use of Tulu in panchayat meetings and to give priority to Kannada. Acting on the petition, the ZP CEO reportedly issued a letter to taluk-level panchayat executive officers, directing them to take action "as per rules."
However, the ZP CEO's letter does not explicitly mention any prohibition on Tulu, nor does it mandate Kannada-only proceedings. This has led to ambiguity and triggered concerns among Tulu language advocates.
"The use of Tulu in local government meetings has been a long-standing practice in this region. Across Karnataka, panchayat members often speak in their native tongues. There is no legal hindrance to this," Kapikad said.
He urged the ZP CEO to withdraw the letter to prevent any misinterpretation that could undermine the linguistic rights of local communities.
He also emphasised that India's constitutional framework upholds linguistic and cultural diversity. "Respecting all languages is central to our democratic values and the spirit of the Constitution," he added.
Tulu, a Dravidian language spoken widely in the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, is not among the 22 official languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution but has a strong presence in cultural and social life in the region.
The Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy has formally appealed to the district administration to retract the advisory in the interest of linguistic harmony and clarity.
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Mamata demands PM's apology over 'Bankim da' remark in Lok Sabha
Cooch Behar (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he has insulted novelist Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay by calling him "Bankim da".
Addressing a rally in Cooch Behar district, Banerjee said the PM was not even born when the country achieved Independence and yet chose to address one of Bengal's greatest cultural icons casually.
"You did not even show him the minimum respect he deserves. You should apologise for this, to the nation," she said.
The flashpoint was PM's reference to the author during a discussion in Lok Sabha on Monday to commemorate 150 years of the national song, Vande Mataram, written by Chattopadhyay.
TMC MP Saugata Roy objected to the use of the suffix 'da' and urged the PM to say 'Bankim babu' instead.
Modi immediately accepted the sentiment, saying, "I will say Bankim 'babu'. Thank you, I respect your sentiments," and asked in a lighter vein whether he could still address Roy as 'dada'.
Targeting the BJP, Banerjee claimed that it will destroy Bengal's culture, language and heritage if it comes to power in the state.
She also claimed that the assembly elections in the state will be declared soon after publication of the final electoral rolls following the SIR exercise, so that no one can challenge it in court.
