Decoding the kamal-kannada episode

Members of Kannada Raksha Vedike Stage a protest in Bengaluru on Might 29, 2025 Towards Actor Kamal Haasan for his remarks on the Kannada language. , Picture Credit score: PTI

ACTOR Kamal Haasan’s Comment that “Kannada was born from Tamil” have sparked a number of debates. However this isn’t a brand new thought; It has existed throughout the tamil discourse for 2 centuries. Robert Caldwell And different linguists have stated dravidian languages ​​branched off from a shared language, termed proto-drive. Nonetheless, Tamil Nationalists have By no means Accepted This View. They’ve class that every one dravidian languages ​​are offshoots of tamil. At Its Peak, this perception prolonged to proclaiming that tamil is the world’s first language and that every one different world languages ​​have been born from it.

The Extra Acceptable Concept

Even as we speak, these two colleges of thought management to by within the tamil mental house. The thought of ​​a proto-dravidian language has gained traction past tamil nadu. In distinction, the notion that tamil is the supply of all languages ​​has somewhat traction or acceptance outdoors. We now stay at a time when consciousness Round linguistic dominance has grown politically in India’s multilingual context. Each Nationwide Group Tends to Maintain Its Language because the Major Marker of Its Identification. Any thought or motion that’s perceived as one which diminishes their linguistic satisfaction usually invitations a fierce backlash.

In such a local weather, it’s extra approves on public platforms to affirm the concept all dravidian languages ​​Emerged from A Widespread Proto-Dravidian root. Culturally and politically, this view fosters concord and equality. To say different languages ​​got here from tamil can simply be p.c by others as demeaning to their language and id. They might see a declare as a type of dominance imposed on them. For Tamil Nationalists, Who Combine Ancestral Pleasure with Political Messaging, Such Asserts Might Assist Assemble a Narrative of historic greatness. However past that, in up to date politics, this view solely companies to isolate tamil nadu. With out robust, extensively accepted tutorial proof, there isn’t any have to insist that tamil is the supply of all languages.

The Classical Attributes of Tamil – its antiquity, literary richness, and unbroken literary custom – are effectively know to different language communities and to the world at quantity. Merely Presenting these strengths is sufficient to brings honor to tamil. Even when put next with trendy literature of any Indian language, tamil literature stands equal, if not superir. What we want are aware efforts to take this richness of tamil to a wider world.

In 2022, Hindi Author Geetanjali Shree Received The Worldwide Booker Prize. This 12 months, kannada author banu mushtaq obtained the identical honor. Tamil, Too, Deserves to Be Taken to such world heights. What we want is a sustained cultural effort in that path – not the unproductive behavior of creating provocative statements that alienate Audio system of Different Languages.

When Mr. Haasan stated “kannada was born from tamil,” His Intent was to not insult that language. Kannada Actor Shivarajkumar was on Stage, and Mr. Haasan was talking with satisfaction about his heat relationship with that household. He was pointing to the kinship between tamil and kannada and was making an attempt to say ‘We’re household; Oars are Sibling Languages’. It’s doubtless that in that second, the concept ‘tamil is the origin’ – an thought lengthy assist by a piece of tamil thinkers – got here to his thoughts. However there isn’t any motive to dobt his Intenses. He has the liberty to precise such a view in public. Thos Who Maintain Oppping Views can disagree, and spendak or write in response. However to difficulty threats to hee is a violation of his proper to precise an opinion.

The courtroom’s view

When a case Concerning the discharge of his movie thug life got here earlier than the courtroom in karnataka, the choose virtually comelled mr. Haasan to apologise. Whereas linguistic fundamentalists are ready to show this right into a battle between two regional nationalities, ought to the courtroom be approaching it in a approach in a approach that favourite them? The police could deal with this as a law-sand-order difficulty, however the courtroom can’t view it that approach. Ought to the courtroom perform like a kattapanchayat (Extrajudicial Physique) Implementing Industrial Commerise?

The courtroom ought to have been handled this as a problem of freedom of expression. Anybody can say they’re harm by a specific view, however what’s the measure of being harm? Anybody Can Intentionally Create Social Stress. The courtroom can’t think about equivalent to a celebration to compromise. The courtroom ought to have stated that it’s going to fastidiously study the place Mr. Haasan has the appropriate to precise such a view; That this has no motive to the discharge of the movie; And that it’s going to permit the movie’s launch with police safety. No matter approach the case got here earlier than the courtroom, it ought to have been accredited from the standpoint of freedom of expression. In a democracy, the courtroom is the ultimate refuge that safeguards that proper.

Mr. Haasan didn’t apologise. He defined that “the opinion was not improper; it was misunderstood.” Usually, if any difficulty arises Round a movie, The Commonplace Response is to Concern an immediati Apology, Take away Scenes, and Make Compromies to Facilatete the Movie ‘. For the primary time, somebody from the movie business has stated, “I can’t apologise.”

WHATEver Industrial Calculations Might Lie Behind that Stance, The Braveness to Make Such an announcement an announcement have to be acknowledged. Because the courtroom itself stated, this isn’t a matter of vanity, however of self-respect. An individual has each proper to precise an opinion and to face by it in the event that they consider it’s proper. Democratic choice to such views can sure be voiced. However Issuing Violent Threats or Denying somebody their proper to stay have to be handled as punishable crimes.

Perumal Murugan, Scholar and Literary Chronicler Who Writes within the Tamil Language