Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 28 (ANI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has strongly refuted BJP allegations that the state government prioritised Urdu over Kannada in funding allocations, terming the claims 'malicious lies' aimed at inciting communal hatred.

In a series of tweets, Siddaramaiah accused the BJP of Karnataka of deliberately spreading falsehoods that undermine communal harmony.

https://x.com/siddaramaiah/status/1927344948954746919

'BJP4Karnataka is spreading a malicious lie that our Govt gave more funds to Urdu while neglecting Kannada. This is not just false -- it's a deliberate attempt to incite communal hatred. A national party behaving like internet trolls is deeply shameful,' he wrote on X.

The Chief Minister presented detailed figures to counter the BJP's assertions. According to Siddaramaiah, the state government allocated Rs34,438 crore to Primary and Secondary Education and an additional Rs 4,150 crore to Social Welfare and other departments during 20205-26, for a total of Rs 38,688 crore--all meant for Kannada-medium education. Furthermore, Rs 999.3 crore has been set aside for government school infrastructure, benefiting Kannada-based education.

The CM Siddaramaiah further said, ' Kannada is not just a language. It is our identity, pride, and mother tongue--and our Government will never tolerate insults to Kannada or Karnataka.' He dismissed the BJP Karnataka's claim that Kannada received only Rs 32 crore as a 'deliberate political distortion' intended to mislead and provoke the public.

Chief Minister condemned the BJP for equating language with religion, calling it 'an insult to that language.' The Congress leader highlighted the Karnataka government's efforts to support all native tongues.

'Equating any language with a particular religion is an insult to that language. Our Govt honours all native tongues of Karnataka -- Tulu, Kodava, Konkani, Arebhashe, Byari -- with dedicated academies and an annual grant of Rs 80 lakh each, along with extra funds for cultural programs,' the post added on X.

Regarding Kannada, Siddaramaiah outlined the role of the Kannada and Culture Department, which oversees 14 academies, 3 authorities, and 24 literary trusts, all focused on promoting Kannada language and culture, benefiting Kannadigas and the state.

Siddaramaiah also took a direct swipe at the BJP's national leadership, suggesting that the misinformation might be part of a 'fake news toolkit' allegedly handed down by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He urged the PM to take action by directing the Press Information Bureau's Fact Check unit to expose the misinformation and called on the Union Home Ministry to act against BJP Karnataka's social media handles, which he referred to as 'repeat offenders.'

He cautioned that such attempts to mislead the public were not confined to Karnataka alone but posed a 'national threat to peace and constitutional order.' (ANI)