By submitting a memorandum to the Chief Minister in Bengaluru, the former Minister said that when the last BJP government was in power, it formed a committee headed by M. Mohan Alva, Chairman, Alva’s Education Foundation, Moodbidri, to study the possibilities of giving Tulu the status of an official language.
The committee, in its report submitted to the State government led by the then Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, said that there were no legal and constitutional obstacles to giving Tulu the status of the second official language. The BJP government could not declare it as the Model Code of Conduct for the Assembly election was enforced during the same time. All administrative preparations related to this matter have already been completed. Now the ball is in the court of the State government, the MLA said.
Special grant sought
The MLA also sought special grants for next year’s Mahamastakabhisheka (anointing ceremony) of the 42-foot-tall monolith statue of Jain saint Bahubali at Karkala in Udupi district. The Mahamastakabhisheka, held once in 12 years, will be organised for 10 days from February 18, 2027.
He said a large number of pilgrims and tourists from across the country and abroad will arrive in Karkala for the event. The special grant is required to create infrastructure facilities.
Roads in Karkala will have to be spruced up for the event, he said.
The MLA requested the Chief Minister to formulate permanent plans for the comprehensive and long-term development of the coastal districts during the Cabinet meeting in Mangaluru.
Mr. Kumar said the coastal region required projects for the development of tourism.
He said Parashurama Theme Park, Ramasamudra lake and park, Varanga Chaturmukh Lake Basadi, and Kudlu falls in Nadpalu village of Hebri taluk will have to be developed further to attract tourists.