Mangaluru: Tulu organizations across Tulu Nadu have united to demand that the state and central governments grant Tulu the status of an additional official administrative language of Karnataka, stated Avinash Mukkha, General Secretary of Jai TuluNad (Reg.).

Speaking at a press conference held in Mangaluru regarding this issue, Avinash Mukkha noted that since Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Mangaluru tomorrow, local representatives must come together to submit a petition to him to grant Tulu the status of an official state language and include it in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution. For many years, Tulu organizations and enthusiasts have been waging a continuous struggle seeking official status for the Tulu language. People's representatives have also submitted many appeals in this regard. However, these appeals have remained limited to assurances, and the work has not moved forward.

For this reason, all organizations of Tulu Nadu have united to strengthen this demand. Timing with Prime Minister Modi's visit to Mangaluru, Jai Tulu Nadu has initiated this campaign and is expanding the initiative.
Regarding the matter of making a language the official language of the state, provisions exist under Articles 345, 346, and 348 (mentioned as 437 in text) of the Constitution to recognize any language as an official state language. For this, the approval of the state legislative assembly is sufficient, provided a significant population speaks the language. Tulu is one of the five Dravidian languages with a 1,500-year history. Furthermore, with the President's assent, any language can be designated as an official state language. Tulu is a widely spoken language with its own script.

Avinash Mukkha urged all pro-Tulu organizations such as Jai TuluNad, Tulu Nadu Okkoota, Thuluver Kudla, Yuva Tulu Nadu, Tulupeedia, Tulu Nirmana Sene, Tuluvas Council, and the people of Tulu Nadu to participate in this campaign.

Dilraj Alva, President of Yuva Tulu Nadu (Reg.), speaking at the conference, said that even after independence, our elders continued the struggle for Tulu to become the state's official language. While responses from the government have remained pending, organizations continue their relentless efforts. He added that preparations are underway to launch different forms of struggles in the coming days to make Tulu the official state language.
Shailesh R.J. of Tulu Nadu Okkoota, Sunil Salyan of Tulu Nadu Nirmana Sene, and Sumanth Hebri of Tulupeedia were present at the press conference.