The Karnataka Cabinet, convening in Mangaluru for the first time in the state's history, has officially designated Tulu as the state's second additional official language. This decision fulfills a long-standing demand from the coastal region, addressing a commitment originally made by former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa in 2008. While the BJP has maintained a strong electoral foothold in the Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts for decades, the formal recognition of the language remained pending until the current administration led by Chief Minister DK Shivakumar took action.
During a press conference following the Cabinet meeting, Shivakumar emphasized that the move transcends mere political maneuvering. "I will not question why previous governments did not do it. We have a commitment. We do not play politics on emotions. We do it for life," he stated. The Cabinet meeting, held at the Praja Soudha in Mangaluru, served as a platform for a broader development package for the coastal and Malnad regions, with approved projects and proposals totaling approximately Rs 32,611 crore.
Key initiatives announced alongside the language recognition include a new tourism policy for the coastal and Malnad areas and the planned upgrade of the Mangaluru fisheries college into a Fisheries, Marine and Blue Economy University, which will increase student capacity from 60 to 200 seats. Furthermore, the government has initiated a draft notification process to seek public feedback on renaming Dakshina Kannada district as Mangaluru district.
The outreach in Mangaluru is viewed as a strategic effort by the Congress government to engage with a region that has historically been a stronghold for the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. By holding the Cabinet meeting outside of Bengaluru and addressing regional infrastructure and cultural identity, the government aims to broaden its appeal in the coastal belt. For the Tulu-speaking population, the decision marks the end of a decades-long campaign for formal state-level recognition of their linguistic and cultural identity.
