It is the responsibility of every Kannadiga to protect the Kannada language, land, and water, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said as he gave a call for creating a Kannada atmosphere in the state.
"It is the duty of all to create a Kannada atmosphere. For that, all the people living in Karnataka should learn Kannada. We cannot remain silent like that," he said.
"Kannadigas are not insolent. But love for Kannada should be developed. We should not become like the bigots in other states. But we should develop respect and admiration for our language, land, and country," he said.
"Everyone must decide to speak in Kannada with those who live in Karnataka. A vow must be taken that no language other than Kannada is spoken. Kannadigas are generous. That is why there is an environment in Karnataka where even those who speak other languages can live without learning Kannada," he stated.
"The same situation cannot be seen in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Kerala. They speak only in their mother tongue. We also have to speak in our mother tongue. That should make us proud," he said.
He was addressing a gathering after Bhoomi Puja for the construction of a bronze statue of goddess Nada Devi Bhuvaneswari near the western entrance of Vidhana Soudha as part of the Karnataka Namakarana Suvarna Mahotsava celebrations organised by the Department of Kannada and Culture.
The work should be completed by November 2024 as there is no shortage of funds, he said, adding that a bronze statue of about 25 feet would be constructed on the premises of Vidhana Soudha.
"We have installed statues of many politicians. I think the statue will add to the charm of the Vidhana Soudha," he stated, adding that the new statue would inspire people.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
