50 questions in 10 years of parliamentary sessions; zero result!

• Demands to include Tulu language into the 8^th schedule of the Constitution

Mangaluru: There are no signs showing the possibility of the inclusion of Tulu language into the eight schedule of the constitution. Though the voice on this issue has increased in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, it has only remained as an assurance. As the Lok Sabha elections draws closer, this is the right time to apply pressure for the resolution of this issue.

Already, more than 50 questions have been raised during the numerous state and central government’s sessions in connection to the inclusion of the Tulu language into the 8^th schedule of the constitution. On Feb 12 2014, MLA Rajiv Chandrashekar and on June 30^th 2014, Dr Vijay Mallya had asked this question in the Lok Sabha. The union government had then said that the future action will be taken post the consideration of the criteria.

Later MP Nalin, former union minister Janardhan Poojary, P Karunakar, Jayaprakash Hegde, Sadananda Gowda, Vinaya Kumar Sorake, Dhananjaya Kumar had raised their voices in connection to this issue in the Lok Sabha. When S M Krishna was the chief minister, he had also recommended in favour of the inclusion.

In 2013, a Tulu convention was held at New Delhi and the then union minister K Rehaman Khan was in complete support to this issue and had said that he would get it to the notice of the centre. The then union minister Veerappa Moliy had also assured that he would honestly work on the issue. Even the Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju has supported the issue.

Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari Dr Veerendra Heggade along with a delegation including Tulu Sahitya Academy president A C Bhandary met with the Prime Minister Modi in the month of Aug 2016 and gave him a request in this connection. Last year, when Modi visited Ujjire, he showed positive response to the request made by Dr Heggade.

More than 40 languages including Tulu and Kodava have submitted their demands for the inclusion of the respective languages into the 8^th schedule of the constitution.

Inclusion even before committee creation

In response to the question asked in the Lok Sabha relating to the inclusion of Tulu and other languages into the 8^th schedule of the constitution, L K Advani had said that an inspection committee would be created. But even before this committee was created, Kashmiri Dogri, Bodo of Assam, Santhali, Maithili of Bihar were given the importance of the 8^th schedule but Tulu was conspicuously left out.

There is assurance

“There is assurance from the central government and I’ll concentrate more on this issue. Inclusion of Tulu language into the 8^th schedule of the constitution is a long standing demand of the people of the Karavali. Even the central government has also responded positively in connection to this. I’ll not let this issue fall into oblivion and will discuss it with the concerned, “said MP Shobha Karandlaje

Let the union government set the benchmark

“The central government has not yet specified the criteria considered for the inclusion of any language into the 8^th schedule of the constitution. More than 50 questions have already been raised at the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in connection to the inclusion of Tulu language into the 8^th schedule. We will conduct an inspection in answer to it. The union government must give details on what are the hindrances in including tulu language into the 8^th schedule,” said Vivek Rai, author

Article by Naveen Bhat Ilanthil translated into English by Aaron Dmello