The Politics of Languages!

Disclaimer: This post was written back in 2012 when the situation was not as bad as it is now in 2016. This is now part of a larger issue with the displeasure of the local population in the amount of people moving into Bengaluru from other parts of the country. And is now a very sensitive topic. Please consider the following rant as something that was written with the year 2012 in context. It is not meant to hurt anyone at all.

I don't know why I am probably the last person to get this information (probably cos' I haven't touched a Newspaper since long now). It seems some politician in Karnataka came up with this genius idea that everyone who is in Bangalore for a year has to pass the VII grade exams for Kannada language.

I say, this is ridiculous. Don't get me wrong. I have utmost respect for the language, the city, the state, and its people! And during my years here, I have managed to speak enough Kannada (out of my own interest) to bargain at shops, with autowallahs, and to ask for directions. But do you not feel that this is a little extreme?

Why Do I think this is Extreme?

1. What will happen to all the blue-collar workers who come in from all over India (especially places like West Bengal and Bihar). These people cannot read or write... in ANY language! How do you expect them to study and write the exams for Grade VII Kannada? 
2. Can all Kannadigas (natives of Karnataka) actually pass Grade VII Kannada exams? While waiting for buses Kannadigas ask us "outsiders" if a bus goes to a specific place (cos' all buses had destinations written on them in Kannada and they themselves couldn't read it!). So shouldn't the person who came up with this idea actually have said, "Every Kannadiga born and bred in Karnataka should pass Grade VII Kannada exams before the outsiders do." Wouldn't that actually develop the language and also the literacy rate of the state and create more employment opportunities for the natives that supposedly are being stolen by the "outsiders"? 
3. What if all other states adopt the same stance? Imagine the condition of a person being transferred from one state to another frequently! How many languages will this person have to learn?  
4. Why do you think Bangalore has become a prominent mark on India's map? Isn't it because it is a liberal city? Isn't that the reason why everyone wants to go to Bangalore? This rule alone will force many to rethink that decision. We come from all over India because we feel that India as a whole belongs to Indians. If Karnataka is going to behave like another country (ridiculously enough, they already have a state flag. What value does the National flag have then?), then why would we come here? 
5. The usual "If they could live with the land, water, air, and other resources of the land..." justification - Really? Are we carrying this land, water, or air back to our state? For whatever we are using, we are paying through our nose for it. Rent is through the roof. Water is never there and air is polluted. And what if we are earning on your land, we are spending it here too. I brought my bike from home to Bangalore and paid the same amount of road tax (in spite of already having paid in Kerala) that everyone here pays. What is the difference? Most people with land just build houses and give it out for rent and live off it. If we stopped coming over, how would they live? 

You can always say that, if you have so many problems with us, why do you come to our state to work? Well, we never knew that Karnataka is not a part of India. We thought we were all Indians. That we could work wherever in India we wanted to. I wonder if you will ask us next to take a separate driving license too...

I am pretty sure that an average Kannadiga does not feel this way. But such ideas are planted by politicians who have nothing better to do than somehow create divide and animosity among people of different states over religion, language, and culture. And we keep falling for it. They succeeded in doing the same between Kerala and Tamil Nadu over the Mullaperiyar Issue. All I can say is that sooner or later, this whole plan is going to backfire, probably starting with the IT industry that actually made Bangalore into what it is today!

I hope the people of Bangalore will understand what this is leading to and stop it before it is too late. Look around you... We are your colleagues... Your friends... I hope it is not your intention to drive us away or to twist the arms of those who are forced to stay back!!!

And, MOST IMPORTANTLY, to all of us - those who have been flocking to this amazing city to study, work, and make our living - have some respect! Have some respect for the language, the people, and the culture. And have some respect for everything that this wonderful city has given us! Peace!