Bengaluru, Jan 10 (NationPress) The Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has voiced strong opposition against the Kerala government’s initiative to enforce Malayalam as the medium of instruction in Kannada-medium schools across the state. On Saturday, they appealed to AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, a native of Kerala, to step in and safeguard the interests of Kannada educational institutions and their students.

During a press conference at the BJP state headquarters, BJP State President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to persuade Venugopal to address this issue with the Kerala government.

“We earnestly request Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to ensure that Venugopal leads a protest in Kerala advocating for the rights of Kannada speakers. Through the Congress-led Karnataka government, we implore Venugopal to defend the Kannada schools in Kerala,” Vijayendra stated.

He condemned the Kerala government for proposing legislation to impose Malayalam on Kannada-speaking children in border regions, calling it an unacceptable action. “The BJP and all Kannada organizations are united in their opposition to this. I question Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on why AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal continues to intervene in Karnataka’s affairs, even when our state has supported Kerala during crises like the Wayanad floods,” he remarked.

Referring to the Kogilu demolition case, Vijayendra pointed out that the Karnataka Congress government took immediate action after a social media post by Venugopal. “Why does the Congress-led government think that merely sending letters or statements to the Kerala government suffices? There should be pressure on Venugopal to ensure that Kannada-speaking individuals in Kerala are not wronged,” he emphasized.

Vijayendra insisted that the state government must adopt a firm stance against the Kerala government's attempts to impose Malayalam in Kannada schools, asserting that Kannada educational institutions need protection. He accused the Kerala government of trying to enforce Malayalam in all Kannada schools and stated that both the BJP and Kannada organizations have strongly opposed this initiative.

He also claimed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah appears to follow Venugopal's directives regarding Karnataka’s matters. “It is the Chief Minister’s responsibility to defend the rights of Kannada speakers in Kerala and ensure the withdrawal of the Kerala government’s order. With the Assembly elections nearing in Kerala, the state government is attempting to incite Kannada sentiments and exploit this issue for electoral gain,” he charged.

Vijayendra called on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to act promptly to protect the interests of Kannada speakers, just as they quickly respond to the party high command’s directives.

Regarding the Karnataka Governor's decision to withhold assent to the contentious 'Hate Speech Bill', Vijayendra remarked that the legislation was passed without sufficient discussion in both legislative houses. “The BJP, JD(S), and several organizations have opposed this Bill. The Congress-led government attempted to create an emergency-like situation in the state, which the public is resisting. In this context, the Governor has kept the Bill on hold, and we have also submitted a representation about this,” he added.