• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

Karnataka News: President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to Mysuru on Monday brought a warm and light moment during her interaction with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. At the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH), the Chief Minister asked her if she knew Kannada. Smiling, the President admitted she did not, but promised to learn.

“I would like to tell the honourable Chief Minister that although Kannada is not my mother tongue, I deeply cherish all the languages, cultures, and traditions of my country. I hold great respect and regard for each of them,” President Murmu said in her address.

ALSO READ: Bengaluru Man Chases Live-In Partner’s Car, Sets Her Ablaze Over Dispute; Woman Dies Of Burn Injuries

She went on to add, “I wish that everyone continues to keep their language alive, preserves their traditions and culture, and moves forward in that direction. I extend my best wishes for this. And I will certainly make an effort to learn Kannada, little by little.”

The exchange came months after Siddaramaiah remarked that “everyone living in this state should learn to speak Kannada,” a statement that had triggered protests from opposition parties.

Mysuru AIISH Event And Dignitaries

The President was welcomed earlier in the day at Mysuru airport by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The AIISH event was attended by senior leaders, including Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Anupriya Patel, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and Mysuru BJP MP Yaduveer Wadiyar, the city’s royal heir.

ALSO READ: Karnataka Weather: Yellow Alert For Heavy Rain In Udupi, Haveri, Belgaum, Other Districts Today; Will Bengaluru See More Showers?

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah dismissed the BJP’s “Dharmasthala Chalo” rally, calling it a political stunt with no electoral value.

“After so many days, when they realised nothing was found, they started this. Isn’t it hypocrisy?” he asked, accusing the BJP of trying to exploit religion for political gain.

He stressed that being Hindu did not mean “lying and spreading propaganda,” but rather upholding humanity. The Chief Minister also criticised attempts to drag Mysuru Dasara into politics, saying, “They would even use their own homes for politics if needed. Other than lying, what else does BJP know?”