Bengaluru: Congress MLC B. K. Hariprasad, who had introduced a private member’s bill in the Rajya Sabha to include Dravidian languages Tulu and Kodava in the 8th Schedule, has published a book containing his speeches on the language and other issues.
In his book he had raised the Kodava language issues. Journalist R. Jayakumar translated his speeches into Kannada and published “Tulu, Kodava Bhashegala Alivu Ulivu,” which was released on Sunday December 19.
Hariprasad said that the Centre should present a national language policy.
Purushottam Bilimale, a writer, spoke on how Kannada, Tulu, and Kodava are all dying languages, but Hindi is thriving. He said that Sanskrit, which is spoken by 24,000 people, received Rs. 628 crore, whereas Kannada received only Rs. 3 crore and Kodava and Tulu received no funds.
MP Dr. L. Hanumanthaiyya said, “When a language dies, so does its culture. Kodavas do not have a representation in Parliament to voice issues.”
