Amid Karnataka's new culture policy push, state body warns bankers learn Kannada or lose job

The debate over language in Karnataka raged further on Tuesday after the government introduced a new culture policy to further the state's agenda on the language. In another related development, the state's civic body Karnataka Development Authority (KDA) has made it compulsory for all non-Kannada speaking employees of rural, scheduled and nationalised banks in the state to learn the local language in six months.

Failing to comply with the KDA diktat would lead to termination. KDA Chairman SG Siddaramaiah said in a circular distributed in banks that if the language is not learnt, then "they (employees) should be relieved of their services in accordance with the recruitment rules."

The KDA Chairman said that it is important for the banks to follow a three-language formula in all advertisements - Hindi, English and Kannada, saying that it has to be implemented on an 'emergency basis.'

“There is a lack of will in implementing the local language in many banks," Siddaramaiah said. The chairman said he will personally review if the banks have followed the instructions on the circular.

Nearly two weeks ago, the KDA asked the state government to replace ‘non-Kannadiga’ engineers with Kannada speakers in Bengaluru's Namma Metro.

According to reports, over 17 percent of the staff don't speak the local language.

The Reason

These two steps are taken in accordance with the Sarojini Mahishi report. "The Authority shall every year prepare projects and programmes for the development of Kannada and forward it to the State Government for approval. The State Government may approve the project and programmes with or without modification," according to the report.

Even though the report is now more than a decade old, the report seems to be the reason behind the cultural policy push meant to strengthen the ethnic and linguistic sentiment among Kannadigas.

On Monday, the state government approved a new state culture policy to push the Kannada agenda. After a Cabinet Meeting, Law Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters that a total of Rs 59.68 crore will be invested in strengthening this cultural policy.

He added that the state has decided to do extensive research on the local language and will "try to get it incorporated under the eighth schedule of the Constitution and also get it classical status."

This policy also aims to boost tourism participation in Kannada cultural activities — dance, dramas at tourist hotspots, increase monthly pensions of Kannada litterateurs and artists etc.

The policy suggests implementation of scholarship programmes for Kannada students from this year.