New Delhi, May 5 (IANS): Congress on Friday targeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his claims that BJP promotes all languages, and also asked why the government spent only Rs 3 crore to support the promotion of Kannada while spending Rs 640 crore on Sanskrit.
Kannada is one of the six classical languages of the country.
Congress general secretary and communication in-charge Jairam Ramesh in a tweet on Friday said, "The HM has claimed in an interview that the BJP stands for 'promotion' of all languages... 1. Is that why the Modi government has spent Rs 640 crore to promote Sanskrit and JUST Rs 3 crore to support promotion of Kannada, one of the six classical languages of the country?"
"2. Is that why the man who insulted the great Kuvempu (who penned the state anthem) was made Chairman of the text book revision committee by the 40% Commission Sarkara in Karnataka? 3. Is that why a tradition has begun with the Forest Conservation (Amendment) Bill, 2022 to do away with English names for laws and replace them with Hindi names?
"I could go on and on, Mr. HM. But then you work for a man whose motto has been Asatyameva Jayate," he said.
His remarks came after Shah in an interview said that the BJP stands for the promotion of all Indian languages and the accusation that it promotes Hindi at the cost of regional languages is "politically motivated".
The question from the Congress comes amid the high octane Karnataka Assembly elections where both the parties are engaged in aggressive campaigning.
The polling for the 224-member Assembly is scheduled on May 10 and counting of votes will take place on May 13.
The Congress has made five promises in its manifesto for Karnataka, which includes Gruha Jyothi (200 units of free electricity), Gruha Lakshmi - Rs 2,000 monthly to every woman head of the family, Anna Bhagya - 10 kg of foodgrains of their choice (among rice, ragi, jowar, millet) to every person in a BPL family.
It also promised that the party is committed to take firm and decisive action against individuals and organisations spreading hatred amongst communities on grounds of caste or religion. It also said that it will ban any organisation like Bajrang Dal and PFI, if they try to spread hatred.
BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have cornered Congress on its decision to ban Bajrang Dal in Karnataka.