Council seeks Classical Status for Telugu

Adopts resolution demanding recognition for 2,000-year-old epigraphical, historical evidences of language

TDP pressed demand as it feared the Centre was playing into the hands of DMK

Hopes pinned on crucial meet of sub-group of Union Ministry of Culture in Delhi on Feb.28

HYDERABAD: The State Legislative Council on Thursday adopted a unanimous resolution appealing to the Central Government to confer the status of classical language on Telugu.

The resolution, moved by Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, urged the Centre to recognise the 2,000-year-old epigraphical, literary and historical evidences of Telugu. It should consider the distinct history of Telugu as a classical language.

Earlier, the Telugu Desam obstructed the proceedings of the House shouting slogans as they demanded the resolution to mark the International Mother Tongue Day declared by the United Nations. The question hour of the House was lost in the disturbance.

Charge against Centre

Initially, the State government wanted to move the resolution on Friday after perusing the resolution passed by the Legislative Assembly on the same request three years ago.

As the TDP remained adamant on the demand, Finance Minister K. Rosaiah sent for the Assembly resolution to draft the present document on the same lines. Leader of Opposition Dadi Veerabhadra Rao said the TDP pressed the demand as it feared the Centre was playing into the hands of the DMK which ‘conspired’ to see that only Tamil remained a classical language and Telugu did not earn that status.

He said the DMK was trying to get the eligibility norm for classical language tougher by proposing the 2,000 year rule.

Union Minister for Culture Ambika Soni even informed Parliament that there would be no relaxation in the criteria which was currently 1,500 years.

Optimism

Meanwhile, high hopes are pinned by the Government and the State Official Languages Commission on the crucial meeting of the sub-group of the Union Ministry of Culture taking place at Delhi on February 28 on the plea to accord classical status to it.

A positive outcome is expected from this meeting for three major reasons—strong epigraphical, literary and historical evidences provided by the Commission firmly establishing that Telugu existed even before Christ; the pressure mounted by the Chief Minister on the Prime Minister and the presence of Telugu-speaking members on the sub-group.

The stand taken by the Archaeological Survey of India, testifying whatever historical evidences cited by the commission on Telugu’s antiquity came as a moral booster.

One of the two Telugu members on the sub-group is Bhadriraju Krishnamurthy, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Hyderabad, who himself is a linguist.

The other member is K. Subba Rao who served Delhi University and is acclaimed as an authority on Telugu.

Courtesy: The Hindu