Karnataka Education Minister Orders Action Against Student Who Accused Him Of 'Lacking Kannada Fluency', Draws Ire

Karnataka Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa said that these claims would be aired on TV and asked who had mentioned that he does not know Kannada.

BJP leader Basanagouda R Patil (Yatnal) also weighed in criticising Bangarappa’s response.

Source : X

Bengaluru news: Karnataka Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa has come under fire for ordering action against a student during an online interaction on Wednesday. The incident took place during the launch of the state’s free online NEET and CET coaching initiative for government school students at Vidhana Soudha. 

A video of the interaction, now widely shared, shows Bangarappa addressing students virtually. During the session, an unseen individual remarked that the minister does not speak Kannada fluently. Reacting sharply, Bangarappa, as per The Hindustan Times said, “Who is saying that? Am I speaking in Urdu now?"

Bangarappa said that these claims would be aired on TV and asked who had mentioned that he does not know Kannada. He dismissed the remark as "stupid" and emphasised that the incident should be taken seriously.

Further, the minister directed senior education officials, including Principal Secretary (School Education) Ritesh Kumar and PU Department Director Sindhu Roopesh, to identify and act against the individual. However, education officials have so far refrained from confirming whether the person behind the remark has been identified, nor have they clarified if the remark was made by a student or someone else during the session, as per a report on India Today.

The minister’s reaction has drawn sharp criticism from the BJP and opposition leaders who accused him of suppressing freedom of speech. The BJP Karnataka handle on X (formerly Twitter) posted a scathing comment, quoting a Kannada proverb: “"If you say things as they are, it's like getting up and kicking your chest" - This is literally our uneducated education minister.”

“ಇದ್ದದ್ದನ್ನು ಇದ್ದ ಹಾಗೆ ಹೇಳಿದರೆ ಎದ್ದು ಬಂದು ಎದೆಗೆ ಒದ್ದರಂತೆ” -ಇದು ಅಕ್ಷರಶಃ ನಮ್ಮ ಅವಿದ್ಯಾವಂತ ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ ಸಚಿವ @MadhuBangarappa ಅವರಿಗೆ ಅನ್ವಯಿಸುತ್ತದೆ!!

ನನಗೆ ಕನ್ನಡ ಸರಿಯಾಗಿ ಬರುವುದಿಲ್ಲ ಎಂದು ಮಧು ಬಂಗಾರಪ್ಪ ಅವರೆ ಹಿಂದೊಮ್ಮೆ ಹೇಳಿದ್ದರು,ಅದನ್ನೇ ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿಯೊಬ್ಬ ನೆನಪಿಸದ ತಕ್ಷಣ, ಆ ವಿದ್ಯಾರ್ಥಿ ಸೇರಿದಂತೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿನ… pic.twitter.com/5DEIaSmMLl

— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) November 20, 2024

BJP leader Basanagouda R Patil (Yatnal) also weighed in, criticising Bangarappa’s response. “The state knows that the education minister struggles with Kannada. His directive to take action against someone who pointed out his shortcomings is appalling. A minister should speak, write, and communicate in Kannada fluently. Constructive criticism from students and journalists is essential in a democracy, and suppressing it is unacceptable. No punitive action should be taken against the student who voiced the concern,” Yatnal stated.