India becomes stronger only through pluralism, says Moily at Beary Sammelan

December 11, 2011

Mangalore, December 11: Union minister for Corporate Affairs, M. Veerappa Moily on Sunday cautioned against the ploy to divide the society by hoisting 'one nation- one language- one religion' theory and insisted India becomes stronger only if pluralism is allowed to flourish.

Inaugurating the 'Sahithigalondige Mukhamukhi' programme on the second day of the Beary Sammelan here at Townhall, Mr. Moily said India was a land of multiple cultures. Pluralism is the essence of our country and a part of our life. If we go on trying to unite people as a monolithic cultural group, India will lose its pluralistic fabric, he warned.

“India will cease to become India if it loses its multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-religious identity,” he said and added that languages like Beary, Tulu and Konkani have added to the cultural richness of the Dakshina Kannada district. “Diversity has made our coastal districts rich and bountiful,” he added.

Dwelling extensively about how languages grow with closer interaction and co-existence, Mr. Moily claimed that more than 50 per cent of the Beary words have their genesis in Tulu language. But Beary language has a history of over three thousand years. Bearys have not come from any other land. They are the original descendants of the coastal belt, he observed.

Regretting about the increasing chasm between different ethnic groups, he said Tulu and Beary should grow side by side and if there is a gulf between the two languages both the languages will suffer. He also urged the linguists and cultural activists not to discuss and debate the issues related to any particular language in isolation as it will lead to divisive tendencies.

He also urged the Beary academy to ensure that different streams and variety within the language were retained and the identity of the local flavor was not given away in our bid to bring in homogeneity. “It is true of all the languages. We should try to retain the flavor of different cultural groups. We should encourage and promote the Konkani versions spoken by Gowda Saraswat Brahmins and the Catholic Christians. If we try to homogenize these region-specific, religion-specific varities, the beauty of the language and the richness of the language was lost,” he said.

He also urged the writers to contribute new words to the language and this was the only way to grow. “Dynamism leads to progress. We should not become stagnant water. We should take a periodic review of how many new words have been coined in a certain language through such Sammelans,” he said.

Emphasising the need to develop a lexicon for Beary language, Mr. Moily promised to take up the issue with the ministry of culture at the Centre if the Academy came up with a proposal.

He also warned against using language as a tool to further political ambitions by some vested interests. “Language and culture should not become a tool to divide people and reap political gains. If I had continued as Law minister, I would have made violence and atrocities based on language as an offence worthy of being awarded capital punishment,” he said.

Renowned Kannada writer Vaidehi presided over the interactive session. Jayanth Kaikini, noted writer, and P. Sheshadri, award-winning film director spoke on the role of cinema in enriching language. Shamshuddin Madikeri was the moderator. B.A. Moideen, former minister, presented a shawl to Mr. Moily. District in-charge minister J. Krishna Palemar handed over mementoes to the guests. M.B. Abdul Rahman, president of the academy, was present. Former police officer and KPCC joint secretary G.A. Bava was also felicitated on the occasion.

Beary Drama Album

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From malls to highways, Kannada signboards to be enforced in Dakshina Kannada

News Network

February 4,2026

Mangaluru: Urban local bodies and gram panchayats should make the use of Kannada on signboards mandatory while issuing trade licences to commercial establishments, Dakshina Kannada Deputy Commissioner Darshan HV said. He also called for regular inspections to ensure compliance.

Presiding over the District Kannada Awareness Committee meeting at the deputy commissioner’s office, Darshan said the city corporation would be directed to ensure that shops operating in malls prominently display their names in Kannada. “All commercial establishments, including shops, companies, offices and hotels, must mandatorily display their names in Kannada on signboards,” he said.

The deputy commissioner added that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) would be instructed to include Kannada on signboards along national highways. Banks, he said, would be directed through committee meetings to provide application forms in Kannada.

“Even if English-medium schools and colleges impart education in English, their signboards must display the institution’s name in Kannada. Steps will also be taken to ensure that private buses display place names in Kannada,” Darshan said.

During the meeting, committee members raised concerns over the closure of Kannada-medium schools in rural areas due to a shortage of teachers and stressed the need for immediate corrective measures. They also pointed out that several industries employ workers from other states while overlooking local candidates.

Members further demanded that nationalised banks provide deposit and withdrawal slips in Kannada. It was brought to the deputy commissioner’s notice that the presence of staff without knowledge of Kannada in rural branches of nationalised banks is causing hardship to local customers.

Meanwhile, MP Srinath, president of the District Kannada Sahitya Parishat, urged the district administration to allot land for the construction of a district Kannada Bhavana in Mangaluru.

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