Date:30/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/30/stories/2008103055260600.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Classical language tag: Vatal Nagaraj wants all parties to join team to Delhi

Special Correspondent

Bangalore: The former MLA and Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj has called upon the Opposition parties and the respective leaders to join the proposed State Government’s delegation to the Prime Minister on November 5 for pressing the Centre to accord classical status for the Kannada language.

He told presspersons here on Wednesday that the Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa had adopted questionable approach in taking an all-party delegation to the Centre.

All-party meet

Mr. Yeddyurappa should have convened an all-party meeting for eliciting opinions on the State Government leading a delegation to the Centre, he said.

On the contrary, he had exhibited a kind of indifferent and arbitrary attitude in extending the invitations to the Opposition parties and leaders. He did not bother to invite leaders such as Srirama Reddy, Madhuswamy, Rajendran, Jayaprakash Hegde and himself to the pestering issue related to the development of Kannada, he added.

‘Shun differences’

He urged that political parties and their respective leaders should shun personal differences and join the delegation as a matter of expressing unity for the cause of Kannada.

Mr. Nagaraj said that he would observe a novel protest programme by sleeping in front of the offices of the Deputy Commissioner in all the districts headquarters demanding the overall all development of the State and effective implementation of Kannada in the administration.

He would launch the programme on November 29 at 9 p.m. at Karwar and conclude it at Chamarajanagar, he added.