Mangaluru: Welcoming the Karnataka govt’s recent decision to accord additional official language status to Tulu, language advocates have urged the state to extend the recognition across Karnataka and push for the inclusion of Tulu in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
“For effective implementation of the language in governance, the govt must allocate a minimum special grant of Rs 5 crore in the initial phase. Organising secretary Niranjan Karkera Porkodi said the group would seek official language status for Tulu in Kerala , and had already launched a social media campaign in this regard.
We urge the state govt to pressure the Centre to include Tulu in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution,” said Rajashree Chandrashekar, president of the Kudla unit. The proposed centres, it said, should function as permanent hubs for research, documentation and promotion of Tulu language and culture. Vice-president Chethan Anchan Manjalakatte said financial support would be essential for effective implementation of Tulu in administration. This is crucial for translation systems, officer training and digital infrastructure,” he said. The organisation said its efforts would also extend beyond Karnataka. The activists said they would continue their democratic and peaceful campaign until their linguistic, cultural and administrative demands were addressed.
“Getting additional official language status is a significant milestone, but our ultimate goal is constitutional recognition. The organisation also demanded that Dakshina Kannada be renamed Mangaluru district, citing historical, cultural and regional identity. It sought the creation of a separate Tulu Development Authority and establishment of Tulu Bhavans in Udupi and Puttur. The activists also called for the phased introduction of the Tulu script in govt offices, educational institutions and public spaces.
The activists speaking to reporters on Thursday, said the additional official language status should not be confined to select districts and should be implemented across the state, including Bengaluru.