Anant Kumar Hegde kicks up a row again

Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship AnantKumar Hegde has kicked up another row. This time, by making a controversial remark on the way people speak Kannada.

Mr. Hegde, on Saturday, allegedly said that only those from Uttara Kannada, the undivided Dakshina Kannada and Shivamogga speak Kannada properly. He added that even people from Bengaluru and Mysuru did not speak Kannada properly.

Congress leaders, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Kannada activists have



condemned Mr. Hegde’s statement. His remarks drew flak from his own partymen too. BJP spokesperson S. Suresh Kumar said the comments made by Mr. Hegde were tasteless and had hurt the feelings of Kannadigas, including himself. “The language has many dialects and all are special in their own sense,” he said.