Bengaluru : The Government of Karnataka has ordered the officers of the Indian Administrative Services (IAS) to implement Kannada as the administrative language in the state saying it would initiate an action against those who failed to do so.
The development came after the Kannada Development Authority (KDA) issued a show-cause notice to senior IAS officer Srivatsa Krishna, who is currently the secretary of the public enterprises department, after he allegedly instructed his subordinates to put up files in English citing they would be returned if instructions were not followed.
The authority reportedly asked Srivatsa for an explanation and an immediate withdrawal of his directive, which reportedly stated that all files had “to be put up in English with relevant acts, latest government order, circulars otherwise the files would be returned.”
The notice stated that Kannada is the administrative language in the state and hence, should be implemented at every stage of development adding that the directive by Krishna was “highly condemnable and unpardonable.”
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said government officials working in the state should learn Kannada and officiate in the language.
Following reports about the IAS officer, the chief minister said the officer was “wrong” and action would be taken against him after ascertaining the facts. “I will look into it, it is wrong…it cannot be done like that,” Siddaramaiah said.
“Each and every officer working in Karnataka should learn Kannada and officiate in Kannada. If this has happened, we will take action,” he said in response to a question regarding the officer’s conduct.
State Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister TB Jayachandra too warned of strict action against such officials. “We will not tolerate any official who is against Kannada and against the interests of Kannadigas,” he said.
“I will immediately speak to the President of the Kannada Development Authority and initiate action against him,” he added.
ANI