Hyderabad, March 20: Chief Minister K Rosaiah today expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and other Central ministers for according the classical language status to Telugu.
Making a statement in the State Assembly, the chief minister said that the Central Government, in response to the request of the State Government and MPs, directed the Director of Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore and the Chairman of the University Grants Commission to take immediate suitable steps for according the status to Telugu. “With this the long-cherished dream of the Telugu people has come true. The Telugu Talli is endowed with a ‘classical’ garland,’’ he remarked and thanked all members of the Assembly, MPs from the State and Telugu language experts for their cooperation in the endeavour.
Former chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy had introduced a proposal in the Assembly on February 22, 2006 requesting the Centre to accord Classical Language status to Telugu, and a resolution was passed unanimously.
In response, the Centre had issued a notification on October 31, 2008 according the Classical Language status to Telugu but it was subject to disposal of the PIL (public interest litigation) pending before the Madras High Court.
Recently, Minister for Culture J Geeta Reddy held a high-level meeting with Telugu language experts to discuss the matter and appealed to the MPs from the State to write letters to the prime minister and the Union law minister for an resolution of the matter, Rosaiah recalled and assured that his government was ready to provide all means and assistance for the purpose.
–Agencies