look news india
New Delhi: The recent decision by the Congress government of Karnataka to make proficiency in Urdu mandatory for Anganwadi teachers has sparked a new political debate. The state government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah issued an order making Urdu compulsory in districts like Mudigere and Chikmagalur, which have large Muslim populations. There is sharp protest and political turmoil in the state regarding this decision.
The Karnataka government's decision to make proficiency in Urdu a mandatory criterion for Anganwadi teachers in Muslim-dominated districts has become a matter of concern for many. Especially BJP has called it 'Muslim appeasement' of Congress. BJP leader Nalin Kumar Katil alleged that the decision could violate the rights of Kannada-speaking candidates and weaken the linguistic unity of the state.
linguistic pride of karnataka
Karnataka is a state where language has always been a deeply emotional issue. There has been strong opposition to the imposition of Hindi here many times and people have deep faith in the Kannada language. In such a situation, making a minority language like Urdu compulsory has become a matter of concern among the majority Kannada speaking community of the state.
Kannada language is not only the medium of communication in the state but also a symbol of cultural and social unity of the state. Given the importance of Kannada in the political and cultural background of Karnataka, giving priority to Urdu is a sensitive issue that could lead to division.
Anganwadi workers play an important role at the rural and local level. Their responsibility is to ensure that they can communicate with the local population and implement government schemes properly. By making Urdu mandatory, the government risks creating distance between the local workforce and the Kannada or other language-speaking community.