"Give ticket to only those who can read, write &speak Kannada"

"Political parties have to take a decision to select only candidates who know Kannada. If that's not done, we have been seeing that interests of Kannada are hurt in such constituencies", he told reporters here today.

"Ticket aspirant may be of any mother-tongue, but political parties need to take a decision that they will pick only those who know Kannada", he said.

Chandru said he has written an open letter to political parties, both national and regional, in this regard.

He noted that Kannada has not been fully implemented in administration, adding, Kannadigas are not getting priority in jobs, while learning of Kannada has not been made mandatory in primary school level.

Answers to such questions could not be found in the last three decades, creating "anxiety" in "Kannada environment", Chandru said.

Parties need to demonstrate political will and commitment towards Kannada. They have to announce in their manifesto that they are committed to give priority for the language, Kannadigas in jobs and implementation of Kannada in education and 100 per cent use of the language in administrative works, he said.

Chandru said political parties should not give tickets to those who talk of bifurcating the State, adding, it's imperative in the interest of Kannada to expel them from party. "Opponents of Kannada should not get public support. The public should defeat opponents of Kannada", he said.

Meanwhile, Chandru has urged Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar to enhance budget allocation to the Department of Primary Education by 20 per cent to provide infrastructure facilities in government-run primary schools, to attract more students and maintain quality education.