The Karnataka government, led by Siddaramaiah, has stirred controversy with its recent mandate requiring Urdu proficiency for candidates applying for Anganwadi teacher positions in Mudigere and Chikkamagaluru districts. This decision has faced strong backlash from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who accuse the Congress of being ‘anti-Kannada’.
BJP leader CT Ravi, on Tuesday, drew a parallel between this mandate and historical attempts to impose Urdu in Hyderabad. He criticized the Congress, stating that the spirit of the Nizam, the former ruler of Hyderabad, now resides within the party. “Nizam attempted to promote Urdu in Hyderabad, Karnataka region. Kannada schools were banned in his time…But his soul now resides within Congress. Congress is doing Nizam’s work. In his era, Tipu (Sultan) attempted to impose the Persian language against Kannada. Today, Congress is trying to turn Tipu’s and Nizam’s dreams into a reality. They are anti-Kannada,” Ravi said, according to newswire ANI.
Former BJP MP Nalinkumar Kateel echoed a similar sentiment, accusing the Congress of engaging in ‘Muslim appeasement’. “The announcement that one must know Urdu to get an Anganwadi teacher job is unacceptable. This is yet another attempt by Congress to appease the Muslim community and restrict job opportunities. It’s a dangerous political strategy,” Kateel posted on X.
Adding fuel to the fire, the BJP also took to social media, questioning the rationale behind mandating Urdu when Kannada is the official language of Karnataka. “CM Siddaramaiah Aware, Minister of Women and Child Welfare Aware, Mudigere is in Karnataka, Kannada is the official language in Karnataka, why Urdu is mandatory in such ..?? Answer,” the party questioned on X.
This controversy underscores the sensitive issue of language and identity in Karnataka. Recent incidents, such as a video that went viral in September 2024 showing a man berating another for speaking Hindi at a toll booth on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border, highlight the simmering tensions surrounding the dominance of the Kannada language. The debate surrounding the Urdu requirement for Anganwadi teachers is likely to further intensify the focus on language politics within the state.
