Bengaluru: Karnataka's Minister of Kannada and Culture, Shivaraj Tangadagi, announced on Friday that the state government has formally requested the Maharashtra government to appoint Kannada-trained teachers in Kannada schools located in districts bordering Karnataka. This decision follows concerns raised over the appointment of Marathi-educated teachers in Sangli and Solapur districts of southern Maharashtra, which share borders with Karnataka.
Minister Tangadagi confirmed that Karnataka had previously addressed a similar issue with the Kerala government regarding Kannada schools in Kasaragod, a border district with Kerala. Following Karnataka's request, Kerala replaced Malayalam-trained teachers with Kannada educators, demonstrating cooperation between the two states on linguistic educational matters.
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Assuring the public, Tangadagi expressed confidence that Maharashtra would also respond positively by appointing Kannada-trained teachers to these schools. He highlighted discussions with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, emphasizing the importance of using Kannada as the primary medium of instruction in border schools.
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Bengaluru: Kumara Chandrashekharanath Swamiji, head of the Vishva Okkaliga Mahasansthana Mutt, has expressed regret over his controversial statement suggesting that "Muslims should be denied voting rights."
In a press release, Swamiji clarified, "Muslims are also citizens of this country. Like everyone else, they too have voting rights. If my statement yesterday has caused discomfort to our Muslim brothers, I sincerely apologise for it."
He further added, "Okkaligas are inherently tolerant of all religions. We have always treated people of every faith equally. Our Mutt maintains cordial relations with Muslims, and they frequently visit us. Similarly, we attend their weddings and other joyous occasions. Hence, there is no intolerance towards this community." Swamiji appealed to the public to disregard the controversy surrounding his remark.
The controversial statement was made during a farmers' rally, ‘Raita Gharjana,’ organised by the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, Karnataka Pradesh, at Freedom Park, Bengaluru, on Tuesday. Addressing the gathering, Swamiji had said, "A law should be enacted to deny voting rights to the Muslim community, and the Wakf Board should be abolished."
The remark drew widespread criticism from political leaders and the public alike. Following the backlash, Swamiji issued his apology, stating, "Muslims are also citizens of this country. Like everyone else, they too have voting rights. If my statement yesterday has caused discomfort to our Muslim brothers, I sincerely apologise for it."