Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on Saturday underscored the need for the legal fraternity to use Kannada while arguing cases or delivering judgments. Inaugurating a programme organised by the Kannada Development Authority (KDA) to felicitate over 51 judges who delivered judgments in Kannada, Mr. Shettar observed that conducting court proceedings and pronouncing orders in Kannada would help people who could not follow English.
Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs S. Suresh Kumar and chairperson of the KDA Mukhyamantri Chandru voiced similar opinions.
They observed that even illiterate people had the right to know what the court orders meant and how their lawyer presented their cases.
‘Felicitate advocates’
Mr. Shettar suggested that the KDA felicitate advocates who efficiently argued cases in Kannada. By doing so, many lawyers would start arguing their cases in Kannada and this would help their clients understand what was going on. Stating that the government had taken every step to make Kannada the administrative language, Mr. Shettar said that Sarojini Mahishi Committee’s recommendation that a certain percentage of jobs be reserved for Kannadigas in public and private sector undertakings was being implemented in some parts of the State. “Earnest efforts will be made to implement the recommendations across the State more effectively.” To a demand from Mr. Chandru on abridging the Nada Geete, the Chief Minister said that as it was a sensitive issue, a committee, headed by the chairperson of the KDA, would be formed to edit the anthem. Mr. Shettar also said that cases registered against Kannada activists who had genuinely fought for public causes on democratic lines would be withdrawn.
Lamenting that there was a growing attraction for English, Mr. Suresh Kumar said that one could communicate better in his native language than in a foreign language.
Appreciating the endeavour of the KDA, he noted that pronouncing judgments in Kannada would help the common man understand its impact without depending on a translator.
In his keynote address, Mr. Chandru said that even 56 years after the unification of Karnataka, Kannada had not become the administrative language. Unless this was achieved, it would be difficult to extend justice to the downtrodden, he added.
Lamenting the “apathy” of the government in implementing the Sarojini Mahishi Committee’s recommendations, he said there was a need to revise the recommendations in [today’s] changed socio-economic scenario.
Closure of schools
On the decision of the government to close down government Kannada schools with poor student strength, Mr. Chandru said that closure of schools was not the solution. There was a need to introspect and find alternatives in the interests of protecting Kannada, he said.
K.L. Manjunath, A.C. Kabbin, judges, were present.
via The Hindu Newspaper http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/karnataka/article3874915.ece
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