Canadian MP's speech in Kannada in Parliament earns him praise
Bengaluru(PTI): A speech in Canada's Parliament by a Canadian MP in his mother tongue Kannada has gone viral on the social media, earning him praise for his love towards his native language.
Chandra Arya, a Member of Parliament from Nepean, hails from Dwaralu, a small village in Sira Taluk of Tumakuru district in Karnataka.
"I spoke in my mother tongue (first language) Kannada in Canadian parliament. This beautiful language has (a) long history and is spoken by about 50 million people. This is the first time Kannada is spoken in any parliament in the world outside of India," Arya has tweeted with a minute-long video of his speech in Kannada.
His speech received a standing ovation from some of his Parliament colleagues.
"Respected Speaker, I'm happy for having got an opportunity to speak in Kannada in Canada's Parliament. It is a proud moment for 5 crore Kannadigas that a man born in Sira Taluk's Dwaralu village in Tumkur (Tumakuru) District from an Indian state of Karnataka, has been elected as Member of Parliament in Canada has spoken in Kannada," he said in his Kannada speech.
Noting that Canada's Kannadigas in 2018 had celebrated Kannada 'Rajyotsava' in Canada's Parliament, he said, "I want to end my statement with (a) few words of the song written by RashtraKavi Kuvempu and sung by Natasaarvabhowma Dr Rajkumar-Elladaru Iru Enthadaru Iru, Endendigu Nee Kannadavaagiru (Wherever you stay, however you are, always be a Kannadiga). Thank You Speaker."
Son of retired Commercial Tax Assistant Commissioner K Govinda Iyer, Chandra Arya is a Liberal Party politician. Appreciating Arya's speech, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said he has spread Kannada's quintessence at the world stage.
"Heartfelt compliments to Chandra Arya for proving that however big one may grow in his life, he should always remember his roots. Elladaru Iru Enthadaru Iru, Endendigu Nee Kannadavaagiru," he tweeted.
Minister for Large and Medium-scale Industries Murugesh R Nirani said, "It is an absolute honour to see the language of our land, Kannada being spoken in the Canadian Parliament. It fills us all with immense pride."
Karnataka Congress President D K Shivakumar said, "It makes me happy to see our great Kannada language spoken in the Canadian parliament. A great idea by Sri Chandra Arya. Kannadigas across the world must fly high the flag of our mother tongue."
Arya had recently urged the Canadian people and the government to recognise the difference between the 'swastika', an ancient and auspicious symbol for Hindus and the 20th century Nazi symbol 'Hakenkreuz', pointing out that there is no similarity between the two.
I spoke in my mother tongue (first language) Kannada in Canadian parliament.
— Chandra Arya (@AryaCanada) May 19, 2022
This beautiful language has long history and is spoken by about 50 million people.
This is the first time Kannada is spoken in any parliament in the world outside of India. pic.twitter.com/AUanNlkETT
ತುಮಕೂರು ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯ, ಶಿರಾ ತಾಲೂಕಿನ ದ್ವಾರಾಳು ಗ್ರಾಮದ ಕನ್ನಡಿಗ ಚಂದ್ರ ಆರ್ಯ @AryaCanada ಕೆನಡಾ ದೇಶದ ಸಂಸತ್ತಿನ ಪ್ರತಿನಿಧಿಯಾಗಿ, ತಮ್ಮ ಮೊದಲ ಭಾಷಣವನ್ನು ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿಯೇ ಮಾತನಾಡುವ ಮೂಲಕ ಕನ್ನಡದ ಸೊಗಡನ್ನು ಅಂತಾರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಮಟ್ಟದಲ್ಲಿ ಮೊಳಗಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಮನುಷ್ಯ ತಾನು ಎಷ್ಟೇ ಎತ್ತರಕ್ಕೆ ಹೋದರೂ,
— Basavaraj S Bommai (@BSBommai) May 20, 2022
1/2 pic.twitter.com/BChm8ZhFSO
It makes me happy to see our great Kannada language spoken in the Canadian parliament. A great idea by Sri Chandra Arya. Kannadigas across the world must fly high the flag of our mother tongue.@AryaCanada https://t.co/ZXtTgbPEEn
— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) May 20, 2022
"ಎಲ್ಲಾದರೂ ಇರು, ಎಂತಾದರೂ ಇರು, ಎಂದೆಂದಿಗೂ ನೀ ಕನ್ನಡವಾಗಿರು"
— Dr. Ashwathnarayan C. N. (@drashwathcn) May 20, 2022
ಕೆನಡಾದ ಸಂಸತ್ತಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಕನ್ನಡದ ಕಂಪು ಮೊಳಗಿಸಿದ ಅಲ್ಲಿನ ಸಂಸದರಾಗಿರುವ ಹೆಮ್ಮೆಯ ಕನ್ನಡಿಗ ಶ್ರೀ @AryaCanada ಅವರ ಮೂಲಕ ಪ್ರತಿಧ್ವನಿಸಿದ ಈ ಕವಿವಾಣಿ ಎಂದೆಂದಿಗೂ ಪ್ರಸ್ತುತ!
ಕನ್ನಡ ಕಸ್ತೂರಿಯ ಪರಿಮಳವನ್ನು ಪಸರಿಸಿದ ತಮಗೆ ಮನಃಪೂರ್ವಕ ಅಭಿನಂದನೆಗಳು. https://t.co/Ms8JRcap6x
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Karnataka to approach SC seeking permission to continue MGNREGA
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday decided to approach the Supreme Court seeking permission to continue implementation of MGNREGA in the state, contending that the Centre had repealed the rural employment guarantee law without consultation and failed to put in place any alternative mechanism under the VB-G RAM G Act.
Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the state would immediately move the apex court seeking permission to prepare and implement the annual action plan for rural employment works, while also challenging what it described as an infringement on the constitutional rights of states.
The parliament passed VB-G RAM G in December that replaces MGNREGA.
Patil explained that the Cabinet decided to approach the court seeking permission for the State Government to prepare an action plan in this regard. Since the Centre’s stand interferes with the constitutional rights of state governments, the Cabinet has also decided to challenge this issue before the appropriate court
“There are two points here. One is that they have come in the way of our constitutional right of providing the right to work. That has been halted, and, therefore, the State Government has decided to approach the Supreme Court. The second point is that the Government of India has not provided any alternative,” the Minister said.
The Central Government has not yet issued a notification to implement the VB-G RAM G Act, nor has it made any alternative arrangements and hence continuing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is unavoidable in the public interest, the Minister said.
“Therefore, in the interest of the public, farmers and agricultural labourers, we must continue MGNREGA. For that purpose, the Cabinet has decided to approach the court seeking permission for the State Government to prepare the action plan for this year,” he added.
The Minister also said the Centre had only permitted continuation of pending and spillover MGNREGA works without releasing grants or announcing a fresh action plan.
“The Centre itself has said that pending, spillover and half-done MGNREGA works can continue. That means MGNREGA is actually still functioning in practice. But there is no new action plan,” he said.
Patil said the state had already passed a resolution on the issue, while Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had written to the Prime Minister and the Rural Development Minister had held discussions with Union Ministers.
Replying to questions, the minister said the state would move court “as immediately as possible.”
He clarified that the state was seeking permission to formulate and implement this year’s action plan under the existing framework.
“What we are asking the Supreme Court is to allow us to have the action plan for this year and implement it,” he said.
The Cabinet also held detailed discussions on the final report submitted by the State Education Policy Commission headed by former UGC chairman Professor Sukhadeo Thorat.
Patil said a Cabinet sub-committee would be constituted to examine the report and recommend measures for implementation.
“No decision has been taken yet. The Cabinet sub-committee will recommend what should be accepted and what should be modified,” he said.
He said the report comprised around eight volumes and covered issues relating to financial implications, human resources, curriculum reforms, deemed universities, unitary universities and newly established universities. The Chief Minister has been authorised to constitute the sub-committee.
The Cabinet also approved the Karnataka Motor Transport and Other Related Workers’ Social Security and Welfare Amendment Bill, 2026, transferring welfare administration of transport-related workers from the Labour Department to the Transport Department.
The Cabinet further approved establishment of three new industrial estates in Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Surpur under the Karnataka State Small Industries Development Corporation and Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board schemes at an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore.
The Cabinet also approved amendments to Karnataka Civil Services (General Recruitment) Rules, 2026, providing two per cent reservation in state civil services appointments for sportspersons.
