Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], September 24 : After the Karnataka government mandated Urdu for Anganwadi teacher posts, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Tejaswi Surya wrote a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and asked to immediately withdraw the order and prioritise the advancement of Kannada and its culture.
Tejaswi Surya posted a copy of the letter on X on Tuesday saying, "Congress is trapping Kannadigas with Tippu and Hyder Ali-like farmans on making Urdu compulsory in Anganwadis in Karnataka. Wrote to CM Siddaramaiah to immediately withdraw the order and prioritise the advancement of Kannada and its culture."
In the letter, Surya condemned the Karnataka government's move that mandated Urdu as a must-known language for candidates applying for the Anganwadi teachers post in Mudigere and Chikkamagaluru districts.
"It is condemnable that the child and women's welfare ministry has ordered Urdu eligibility for the anganawadi jobs. Its happening because of Congress's appeasement politics. Congress in Karnataka forgot that Kannada is supreme in Karnataka. It will be a big blow to the existence of Kannada in Karnataka. That's why I request you to suspend concerned officers who ordered such blunders and take strict action against those who conspire against Kannada," Surya said.
Earlier on Monday, former BJP MP Nalinkumar Kateel condemned the move and said that the announcement that one must know Urdu to get an Anganwadi teacher job is "unacceptable."
"This is yet another attempt by the Congress to appease the Muslim community and restrict job opportunities. It's a dangerous political strategy," Kateel posted on X.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka BJP, in a post on X, said that Congress is sidelining "Kannadigas pride and culture."
"Kannada, a language with rich history and heritage, doesn't need Urdu to survive! Why impose Urdu in our people, Siddaramaiah? This is Karnataka/Bharath, not Pakistan! @INCIndia's appeasement policies are sidelining Kannadigas pride and culture. We won't let Kannada be disrespected. We'll fight this injustice!" BJP Karnataka posted on X.
The controversy stems from an official order from the Department of Women and Child Welfare, which requires applicants in Mudigere, Chikkamagaluru district, to be proficient in Urdu.