A Bhasha Bharata Round Table Conference held in the city that saw representatives of 17 languages participate adopted a “Bengaluru Resolution” on Tuesday calling on the Centre to amend Article 343 of the Constitution to make all languages listed in the Eighth Schedule official languages of the Union. The deeply contested Article 343 presently says Hindi will be the official language of the Union, while making temporary provision for English.
The round table was organised by the Kannada Development Authority (KDA) and saw the participation of two BJP Union Ministers — D.V. Sadananda Gowda and Pralhad Joshi. The BJP has traditionally been accused of prioritising Hindi and recently waded into controversy over the non-usage of Kannada at key Union government programmes in the State.
The Bengaluru Resolution demanded that all laws, rules, and notifications be published in all the 22 languages of the Eighth Schedule. It also suggested clauses that mandate that the Union government hold all examinations for entrance to educational institutes and for recruitments in all the 22 languages.
Furthermore, the resolution called upon the Union government to provide all services (to the best of their abilities) in all 22 languages. “This is a historic resolution piloted by the KDA. Article 343 of the Constitution is the crux of all language issues in the country, and its amendment as we have resolved will ensure all languages are treated equally,” said T.S. Nagabharana, chairman of KDA.
