Centre should include Kannada and other regional languages in administration: H D Kumaraswamy
The former Chief Minister even reminded the centre that all languages are equal in India's federal system as he asked the ruling BJP to amend the law to give equal primacy to regional languages.
"The Centre has said 'No' to a question on whether it proposes to amend the constitution to give primacy to Kannada and other regional languages on par with Hindi.
This is an indication of rejection of a language," Kumaraswamy said in a statement.
Pointing out that Kannada, like Hindi is also a recognised language, he said Kannada is also a national language and the centre should include it and other regional languages in administration.
"Article 343, 344 and 345 in the Constitution encourages promotion of Hindi.
Let BJP leaders, who talk about changing the Constitution, make an effort to amend the law to give equal primacy to regional languages on par with Hindi," he added.
In a written reply to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanad Rai on Wednesday had said that there was no proposal to amend the official languages act to include scheduled languages other than Hindi and English as its official languages.
The centre which is refusing to give equal primacy to regional languages must remember that they have formed the government with the support of the non-Hindi speaking Parliamentarians, Kumaraswamy said.
Recently, the Supreme Court while hearing a case has directed the centre that all government orders and publications should be in all recognised and official languages, he said, adding that "Besides, the centre must keep in mind that all languages are equal in a federal system in India."
Kumaraswamy has recently been very critical of the alleged Hindi imposition and discrimination against the people of other languages, especially from the south.
Terming 'Hindi Diwas' celebration as an "underhand method" to impose the language on people speaking other languages, he had on Monday demanded its cancellation.
The JD(S) leader had recently asked as to how much more people of other languages including Kannadigas have to "sacrifice" in this country for not knowing Hindi.
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Compromised PM didn't sign trade deal with US, but a bargain for Adani's release: Rahul
New Delhi (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of signing a trade deal with the US only to secure the "release" of billionaire businessman Gautam Adani.
"Compromised PM did not strike a trade deal, but a bargain for Adani's release," Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X, after reports that the US has agreed to settle the lawsuit that accused Adani of hiding alleged bribery.
The US government has agreed to settle the lawsuit filed against Adani, who is accused of duping investors by concealing that his company's huge solar energy project in India was being facilitated by an alleged bribery scheme, according to court filings published Thursday.
Reacting to the reports, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said it was now clear why the PM agreed to the "hopelessly one-sided Indo-US trade deal that was really a steal by the US".
"And it is also clear why he abruptly halted Operation Sindoor on May 10, 2025, acting on President Trump's threats rather than on our national interest. Reportedly, the Trump Administration is about to drop all charges of corruption against Modani," he said on X.
"How much more compromised can the PM get?" Ramesh asked.
In the lawsuit filed in late 2024, the Securities and Exchange Commission accused Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani and his nephew Sagar Adani, who is a director at the group's renewable energy unit Adani Green Energy Ltd, of agreeing to pay about USD 265 million in bribes to Indian government officials between approximately 2020 and 2024 to obtain lucrative solar energy supply contracts on terms that expected to yield USD 2 billion of profit over 20 years.
It was alleged in the lawsuit that Adani Group raised USD 2 billion in loans and bonds, including from US firms, on the backs of false and misleading statements related to the firm's anti-bribery practices and policies.
The ports-to-energy conglomerate had denied the allegations.
