CM Siddaramaiah appeals for peace after Bagalkote clashes, BJP blames Cong
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday appealed for peace and harmony in the wake of communal clashes in Bagalkote triggered by alleged stone pelting during a Shivaji Jayanti procession.
Tension prevailed in the district headquarter town of Bagalkote town on Friday following the face-off between two communities, prompting the district administration to clamp prohibitory orders.
Shops remained shut across Bagalkote amid the unrest.
In a post on X, Siddaramaiah said, "The stone-pelting incident in Bagalkot is a threat to the peace and harmony of the society. I and our government strongly condemn this."
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The CM said he had spoken to senior police officers and ordered them to conduct an impartial investigation.
Siddaramaiah has also instructed police to initiate legal action against the miscreants.
Some accused have already been arrested and are being interrogated in connection with the case, and those found guilty will be punished, he added.
Siddaramaiah said, “Providing a fear-free and peaceful life to the people of the country is our first priority. We will not tolerate any person or force that disturbs the peace and tranquility of the people.”
Urging citizens to stay calm and not to fall prey to any provocations, Siddaramaiah assured that the police department will discharge its duty impartially.
The opposition BJP blamed the ruling Congress for the incident, alleging that its "appeasement politics" has resulted in the communal clashes.
“The stone-pelting and shoe-pelting incident on the procession of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Bagalkot is a highly condemnable and despicable act. In this mismanagement, the law and order situation has completely collapsed in the Tughlaq Congress government, and the miscreants who disturb the peace have found refuge,” BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said in a post on ‘X’.
“If stone-pelting is taking place in the presence of the police, where is the safety of the common people in the state?” he asked.
Vijayendra alleged that such continuous attacks targeting Hindu festivals and processions look like a systematic conspiracy in the Congress rule in the state.
“Such hooliganism cannot take place without the courage of the state government to stand by them. At least now, the government of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should leave its politics of appeasement and immediately arrest those who have harmed the honour of Shivaji Maharaj, who is the identity of the nation,” the MLA said.
He also cautioned the Chief Minister not to “test the patience of the Hindu society”.
“There is no question of remaining silent when it comes to the identity of our beloved men and our country!” Vijayendra said.
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Stalin alleges Centre's 3-language formula 'covert' mechanism to impose Hindi
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, referring to the CBSE's recently unveiled curriculum framework, on Saturday alleged the "so-called three-language formula" is in reality a "covert" mechanism to expand Hindi into non-Hindi speaking regions.
Stalin, also the president of the ruling DMK, alleged the curriculum framework by the CBSE, aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, was not an innocent academic reform. It was a calculated and deeply concerning attempt at linguistic imposition that vindicates our long-standing apprehensions.
The chief minister alleged that under the guise of promoting "Indian languages", the BJP-led NDA government was aggressively advancing a centralising agenda that privileges Hindi while systematically marginalising India’s rich and diverse linguistic heritage.
"The so-called three-language formula is, in reality, a covert mechanism to expand Hindi into non-Hindi speaking regions," he alleged in a statement.
For students in southern states, this framework effectively translates into "compulsory Hindi learning." He alleged: "Yet, where is the reciprocity? Will students in Hindi-speaking states be mandated to learn Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam—or even languages like Bengali and Marathi? The complete absence of such clarity exposes the one-sided and discriminatory nature of this policy. The irony is stark and unacceptable."
The same Union government that has "failed" to make Tamil a mandatory language in Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan schools—and has consistently failed to appoint adequate Tamil teachers, now seeks to lecture states on promoting Indian languages. "This is not commitment, this is rank hypocrisy."
Stalin wondered if the Union government had any understanding of ground realities; of availability of teachers, training capacity, and infrastructure? He asked: "Where are the qualified teachers to implement this sweeping exercise. And crucially, where is the funding to support this enormous burden on the education system? Hence, this appears to be yet another ill-conceived policy announced without planning, resources, or accountability. This was not merely a question of language, it was a question of fairness, federalism, and equal opportunity."
By structurally privileging Hindi-speaking students, this policy risks creating entrenched advantages in higher education and employment, further widening regional disparities.
At a time when the world is moving forward at an unprecedented pace, our children must be prepared for the future. The priority should be to equip them with skills in emerging sectors like artificial intelligence, AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics), and to strengthen scientific temper and critical thinking. Instead, this regressive and rigid language burden threatens to derail their progress, the CM claimed.
The Union government appears determined to impose Hindi, brushing aside the legitimate, consistent, and democratic concerns raised by Tamil Nadu and several other states. This approach is a direct affront to the principles of cooperative federalism and an insult to the linguistic identity of millions of Indians. India’s strength lies in its diversity and not in "enforced uniformity."
Any attempt to disturb this delicate balance is not just misguided, it is dangerous. "Such policies strike at the very foundation of our pluralistic nation and will be firmly opposed."
Further, he asked: Does the Edapadi Palaniswami-led AIADMK and its NDA allies in Tamil Nadu subscribe to this imposition? Or will they, for once, stand up for the rights, identity, and future of our students?
