After the Karnataka government allotted 100 acres of land for the permanent campus of Karnataka Sanskrit University, Congress leaders and Islamists have started opposing the move. They have been joined by Kannada regionalists, who consider Sanskrit as an alien language.
State Congress Spokesperson A N Nataraja Gowda opposed the construction of the Sanskrit University, calling it ‘Useless’. He was joined by many others on the social media platform, and a hashtag saying ‘SayNotoSanskrit’ was trending on Twitter to oppose the Basavaraj Bommai-led State Government’s move to construct a permanent campus for Karnataka Sanskrit University in Magadi, Ramnagara.
Magadi’s savanadurga is a pre historic site. Remnants of civilization that existed 2000+ years back have been found here.
— A N Nataraj Gowda – ಎ.ಎನ್.ನಟರಾಜ್ ಗೌಡ (@annatarajgowda) January 16, 2022
Instead of boosting tourism sector of this taluk govt is allotting land to useless Sanskrit university.#SayNoToSanskrit #ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತವಿವಿಬೇಡ pic.twitter.com/OUBwjCgiXO
The Karnataka state Congress Secretary and Spokesperson tweeted, “…Instead of boosting tourism sector of this taluk govt is allotting land to useless Sanskrit university.” The move has sparked criticism in Dravidian circles and people have linked the promotion of Sanskrit in the state to alleged Hindi Imposition. Sparked by Dravidian sentiments, the hashtag #SayNotoSanskrit was seen trending on Twitter this afternoon alongside many tweets mentioning #StopHindiImposition.
Request my Dravidian sisters and brothers to support us. Please trend. #SayNoToSanskrit
— ಮ್ಯಾನ್ಡಲೋರಿಯನ್ 🟨🟥 (@kannadamando) January 16, 2022
Members of the Popular Front of India, an extremist Islamic Organization were also seen participating in the trend. PFI Karnataka state President Yasir Hasan while saying that any ‘foreign’ languages will not be tolerated in the land of Basavaraja requested people to resist this act of ‘Sanskrit/Hindi Imposition’. He tweeted, “…Any foreign languages will not be tolerated in the land of Basavanna. Our forefathers have nourished the ethnicity of this land with Kannada. All Kannadigas must come forward to resist Hindi/Sanskrit imposition.”
Kannada is the soul of this soil. Any foreign languages will not be tolerated in the land of Basavanna. Our forefathers have nourished the ethnicity of this land with kannada.
— Yasir Hasan (State President, PFI Kar) (@yhpfi) January 16, 2022
All kannadigas must come forward to resist Hindi/Sanskrit imposition.#SayNoToSanskrit#ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತವಿವಿಬೇಡ pic.twitter.com/vH4bw7pZ1P
The criticism seems to have sparked from Kannada regionalists, who consider the promotion of any other language other than Kannada – the state language – as an imposition. Dravidian sentiments alongside the Islamists are also at play to oppose the Government’s move of constructing a full-time campus for the Karnataka Sanskrit University. A Twitter user named Shoib Ilaya, termed the move as ‘Brahmanical enforcement’.
Do join the campaign let’s get unite the state against this brahmanical enforcement in Karnataka ! #SayNoToSanskrit #ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತವಿವಿಬೇಡ pic.twitter.com/1pS8hkE0Mg
— shoib iliya (@shoib_iliya97) January 16, 2022
The determined trend soon witnessed widespread criticism from people, many of whom were residents of Karnataka. The foundation of the Sanskrit University campus in Magadi also has historical importance since the town is the birthplace of King Kempegowda, the founder of Bengaluru. The city hosts many large scale temples built by the ruler including the Ranganathaswamy temple and Kalabhairaveshwara temple in nearby Savanadurga.
Karnataka Needs Sanskrit Vishva Vidyalaya….
— ರಾಮ್ ವೈರಮುಡಿ (@ram_vairamudi) January 16, 2022
Tax payers of karnataka are welcoming it
Thanks @BSBommai sir for leading on this matter @BJP4Karnataka
Karnataka Says No to URDU University#SayNoToSanskrit#ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತವಿವಿಬೇಡ
Why should it be #SayNoToSanskrit? People of all faiths in India can learn their spiritual scriptures in their ancient scripts like Arabic, Latin etc ..but a Hindu should not learn Sanskrit! Why this discrimination for a Hindu only???
— Sucheta Chatterji (@Suchetachatter4) January 16, 2022
Karnataka Sanskrit University will get a permanent campus in Magadi, Ramanagara after 10 years of functioning. CM Bommai will lay the foundation stone for the University tomorrow. University will come up on 100 acres of land at a cost of Rs 320 crs. pic.twitter.com/wCpxBHc9OX
— . (@ram_bhaktha) January 2, 2022
In an earlier development, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had laid the foundation of the permanent campus of the Karnataka Sanskrit University in Magadi on January 03, 2021. The University which has been operational for the last 10 years since 2010 was working without a permanent campus in Bengaluru due to a shortage of funds. The new campus will be built on a 100-acre land near Magadi at a cost of Rs. 320 crore.
