The Karnataka High Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Poonacha, has rejected a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) related to the controversy over excluding Hindi in Karnataka. The PIL was filed against a statement by Karnataka Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa, declaring that Hindi and other third languages would not be considered for evaluation in Class 10 board exams. The petitioners, H.N. Chandana and S. Venkatesh from Bengaluru, raised concerns about the sudden announcement causing uncertainty among students in the state.
The petitioners argued that the government’s decision infringed on the rights to equality and education as per Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution. The counsel representing petitioner Chandana highlighted that the Education Minister’s statement suggesting the removal of Hindi might not be accurate. Chief Justice Bakhru criticized the PIL, stating that it was based on public opinions rather than any official government statement, describing it as a ‘publicity interest litigation.’
Initially, the court imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 on the petitioners, which was later increased to Rs 1 lakh after further arguments. While some pro-Kannada groups supported the government’s move to grade SSLC third language exams, it faced opposition, including from certain Bharatiya Janata Party leaders. Amid the controversy, Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot intervened by writing to the State Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, urging a reconsideration of the decision. Additionally, State Legislative Council Chairperson Basavaraj Horatti also communicated with the government, emphasizing the importance of Hindi.
