Karnataka: Urdu Mandate, BJP Opposition

The Siddaramaiah-led Karnataka government has recently made a controversial decision mandating Urdu as a required language for applicants applying for the Anganwadi teacher positions in Mudigere and Chikkamagaluru districts. This move has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders of the BJP, who have accused the Congress government of “Muslim appeasement.”

Former BJP MP Nalinkumar Kateel condemned the move, stating, “The announcement that one must know Urdu to get an Anganwadi teacher job is unacceptable. This is yet another attempt by the Congress to appease the Muslim community and restrict job opportunities. It’s a dangerous political strategy.”

According to an official order from the Department of Women and Child Welfare, applicants in Mudigere and Chikkamagaluru districts are required to be proficient in Urdu. The BJP took to the social media platform X to criticize the government, stating, “The Karnataka government is imposing Urdu in Kannada-speaking regions. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar must explain why Urdu is being prioritized over Kannada, the state’s official language.”

In response to the uproar, the Mudigere Education Department has raised concerns over the notification. In a letter to the Deputy Director, the department noted that the local population includes various communities, with Muslims constituting 31.94%. According to the government notification, in areas where minority communities make up over 25% of the population, workers proficient in the minority language, in addition to Kannada, should be hired. However, the emphasis on Urdu has been seen as sidelining Kannada-speaking candidates.

The letter also urged that Kannada proficiency be included as a mandatory qualification and that the job application process be made available in Kannada to prevent backlash from pro-Kannada groups.