Twitter campaign to include Tulu in Eighth Schedule of Constitution

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Aug 10, 2017: Tulu lovers will launch a Twitter campaign to include Tulu in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution on Thursday.

As a part of this, Jai Tulunad, a registered organisation, will take the lead in tweeting support to the cause by using the hashtag - #TuluTo8thSchedule – between 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

According to Ashwath of Jai Tulunad, who is leading the Tweet Tulunad campaign, it is to alert Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the long-pending demand of Tulu-speaking people. When tweets set a trend, it will be easy to draw their attention, as political will and support was required for the cause. “We expect at least 15,000 tweets,” he said.

Tulu lovers have prepared at least 10 WhatsApp groups to create awareness and give publicity to the Twitter campaign. The groups have been created to make more people to create their Twitter ID and tweet. All the groups would be deleted once the campaign ends on Thursday.

Mr. Ashwath said earlier Jai Tulunad started a Facebook campaign for the cause. But the response from people to it was not at the expected level. Hence, the organisation switched over to a Twitter campaign.

He said simultaneously Tulu lovers have launched a video clipping campaign of Tulu celebrities supporting the cause. The clippings were circulated through the social media. Now, three such clippings of Tulu cinema actors were under circulation. The clippings of at least 15 such Tulu celebrities would be circulated through the social media.

Meanwhile, the Union government stated in the Lok Sabha on July 26, 2016 that there are demands for inclusion of 38 more languages, including Tulu and Rajasthani, in the Eighth Schedule.

Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju told the House that the government was conscious of the sentiments and requirements for inclusion of other languages in the Eighth Schedule, and will examine the requests keeping in mind the sentiments, and other considerations such as evolution of dialects into language, widespread use of a language, among others.

“As the evolution of dialects and languages is dynamic, influenced by socio-eco-political developments, it is difficult to fix any criterion for languages, whether to distinguish them from dialects, or for inclusion in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India. Thus, both attempts, through the Pahwa (1996) and Sitakant Mohapatra (2003) committees to evolve such fixed criteria have not borne fruit,” the reply said.

How will it benefit?

According to Paltady Ramakrishna Achar, the former president of Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, if Tulu was included in the Eighth Schedule, it would get recognition from the Kendra Sahitya Academy. Then, it could get Tulu books translated into other recognised Indian languages. Members of Parliament could ask questions in Tulu and MLAs could ask questions in Tulu in the State Assembly. Candidates could write All-India competitive examinations in Tulu.

It would prompt more people to write books in Tulu as they would earn recognition. Tulu would also get recognition at the international level.

Courtesy: The Hindu