Rahul supports use of local languages for exams

BENGALURU: While the opposition to the imposition of Hindi is growing in Karnataka, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said students should be allowed to take exam in the language that he wishes to.

“Every state should have the right to use its language and if students wants to do exams in that language then they should allowed to do exams in that language,” Rahul Gandhi said while interacting with job-seekers in Chitradurga on Thursday as part of his Bharat Jodo Yatra.

Rahul Gandhi was responding to comments made by a student, who said it is difficult for even a post-graduate to understand the notifications of the Central government, which will be published either in Hindi or English.

She told Rahul Gandhi that she hailed from the rural part of the state and does not have knowledge of Hindi. She said she finds it difficult to get a Central government job because she can't speak Hindi.

Responding to the query, Rahul Gandhi said, “I think it is a fundamental thing. Kannada is your language and deserves a space. If you want to communicate in Kannada, then it is your right to communicate in Kannada.”

“A language is much more than what you simply use for conversation. A language has hope, has imagination and has history in it,” the Congress leader said.

On another query about privatisation of government-owned companies, Rahul Gandhi said, “I don’t agree with the rampant privatisation of government assets. When we were in power, we did not allow privatisation because it is  public sector units that give employment to weaker sections.”

He assured that a “strategy” will be evolved so that millions get jobs.

Meanwhile, Janata Dal Secular leader and former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy suspected a “hidden” agenda of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party to “impose’ Hindi in the state.

“Kannada is experiencing threats at every step. Now, the Central government is plotting to destroy Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya and others,” Kumaraswamy said.