Celebs, politicians support online campaign to make Tulu official language in 2 states

The campaigners also want to include the language in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution.
Celebs, politicians support online campaign to make Tulu official language in 2 states
Celebs, politicians support online campaign to make Tulu official language in 2 states
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A Twitter campaign has been launched by an organisation called Jai Tulunad to urge the Karnataka and Kerala state governments to recognise Tulu as an official language. 

The campaigners also want to include the language in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution, which lists the official languages of the Republic of India.

"This time around, Jai Tulunad organised themselves on WhatsApp, created a group and Twitter accounts for those who did not have one. We received support from politicians, celebrities who came forward to highlight Tulu and make it an official language in Karnataka. This time we received an overwhelming response," one of the campaigners Mahesh Poojary told TNM.

The campaign received support from politicians cutting across parties and from celebrities in the state. 

The campaigners point to the fact that several states in India have multiple official languages including Andhra Pradesh and Telangana which recognise Telugu and Urdu, Goa which recognises Konkani and Marathi and so on. "The Constitution states that a language which is not in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution can be declared as official language of a state," adds Mahesh.

The campaign to recognise Tulu language also received support from pro-Kannada groups including Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), Karnataka Ranadheera Pade and Banavasi Balaga. The pro-Kannada groups have been campaigning for the preservation of Kannada language and for the reservation of jobs for Kannadigas in the state.

"In the same way that India's diversity needs to be protected, Karnataka's diversity also needs to be protected and Tulu, Kodava and Beary should be included in the Eighth schedule to the Constitution and in addition, it should be used as an official language by the Karnataka government," a member of Banavasi Balaga, a pro-Kannada group told TNM.

Even the Kannada and Culture Minister of Karnataka expressed his support to add Tulu to the Eighth Schedule to the Indian Constitution. 

However, there has been no communication about if and when Tulu will be adopted as an official language in Karnataka yet.

Earlier in August 2017, on the third anniversary of the organisation, Jai Tulunad members started a campaign on Twitter asking for Tulu to be included in the Eighth Schedule to the Indian Constitution.

As per the 2011 Census, Tulu is primarily spoken in Dakshina Kannada district (by 48.6% of the population) and Udupi (31.4%) and is also widely spoken in Manjeshwaram and Kasaragod taluks (16.2% combined) in Kasaragod district of Kerala. The region is referred to as Tulu Nadu and is also home to people who speak Beary, Konkani and various local dialects of Kannada language.

The language has a rich oral tradition with folk song forms like Paddana and theatre, including Yakshagana. Tulu films have also been produced, adding to the cultural heritage of the language. 

 

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