Mangaluru: Akhila Bharata Tulu Okkoota (All India Tulu Federation) has urged the Karnataka government to declare Tulu an official language of the state.Addressing reporters, Okkoota president AC Bhandary said Tulu, one of the oldest Dravidian languages, is the mother tongue of over 1.8 million people and the cultural language of Tulunadu. Despite its rich literary heritage, ancient inscriptions and distinct script, Tulu has neither been accorded official language status nor included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, he said.Bhandary said the demand has been supported through resolutions passed at the World Tulu Convention in Ujire, representations from various organisations, and the report submitted by a committee headed by Dr M Mohan Alva. Legislators and MPs have also repeatedly raised the issue in the legislature, he added.“The Okkoota, on behalf of all Tuluvas, urges the government to declare Tulu the state’s second official language at the cabinet meeting scheduled in Mangaluru,” Bhandary said.Delegation meets MLAA delegation of the Okkoota met Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai and sought his support in pressing the chief minister for official recognition of Tulu. The delegation highlighted the language’s ancient history, independent script and prominent place among the major Dravidian languages.Rai said he was making every effort to achieve the long-pending demand and expressed confidence that the aspirations of the Tulu-speaking community would soon be fulfilled.
