Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter INSULT TO THE KANNADA LANGUAGE By Pitney Bowes’ Franking SILENCING THE MOTHER TONGUE KANNADA IGNORED BY KANNADIGA OFFICIALS

BY FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA

THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER

 

 Insult to the Kannada Language By Pitney Bowes’ Franking 

SILENCING THE MOTHER TONGUE

KANNADA IGNORED BY KANNADIGA OFFICIALS 

 This is the month of celebrations; especially, the celebrations devoted to the cultural activities of the people of Karnataka, their spoken language, that is, Kannada and its promotion, which is the pride of Kannadigas. 

But some departments have determined to undermine the celebrations when the Kannada development activists and protectionists are striving to get the classical language’s status and recognition for Kannada. 

As a case of ‘insult to injury’, the Inspector General of Registration and C Stamps and the Revenue Secretary to the Government have brought out the unique process of franking the amount collected on the document sheets effective 2nd November, 2009 with much fanfare. 

But without even paying due attention to the non-inclusion of the words in Kannada for 

[1] the department’s name, 

[2] the amount paid, 

[3] ‘Karnataka’ and 

[4] ‘Bharat’, which are either in English or Hindi. 

Only the English and Hindi are distinctively seen, but nothing in Kannada. 

This is what the proud Kannadigas, namely, Sri Niranjan Das, the IGR & CS, Sri Parshwanath, the Revenue Secretary and other senior officials have given as a gift to the Kannadiga brethren during the ‘Rajvotsava’ celebrations. 

It is understandable that the company, whom the contract for franking was given to, is a foreign based one and what goes beyond ones understanding is that the blunder of omission was committed by none other than our own Kannadigas. 

Only the words in English and Hindi languages are visible neglecting the use of Kannada in its franking, the act of which has hurt the feelings of the Kannadigas and brought an insult to their language, which they love most. 

It is high time that the Kannada development activists and protectionists taught appropriate lessons to the responsible babus for their dereliction.