Removing marking system for third language Hindi will create confusion among children, says R. Ashok

Taking exception to the Congress government removing marking system for Hindi as third language in schools and introducing grading instead, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashok has alleged that the decision has been taken purely for political reasons, and not out of love for Kannada.

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru on Monday, Mr. Ashok expressed concern that taking such a decision abruptly when lakhs of children are studying Hindi as third language would create confusion. He asked the government to be sensitive when it comes to issues concerning children.

“In 1918, Mahatma Gandhi was the president of the Hindi Prachar Samiti. He started this committee in South India as well. Congress leaders, who are unaware of this history, have suddenly gone against Hindi,” he alleged, and termed it as an insult to Gandhiji.

He wondered why those who took exception to the removal of Gandhiji’s name from the job scheme are now keeping quiet.

“The country’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had brought the Three-Language Formula that provided space for Hindi. Later, Indira Gandhi gave it even more importance. But now the Congress is saying that it will go by whatever is being done in Tamil Nadu,” he alleged.

On bypolls

Mr. Ashok claimed that the BJP would win bypolls to both the Davangere South and the Bagalkot Assembly constituencies. In Davangere, Muslims had rebelled against the ruling Congress after being denied ticket to their community, he said.

He maintained that both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar were gripped by the fear of losing the bypolls as that would affect their political fortunes.