Siddaramaiah asks Murmu, 'Do you know Kannada?' she responds
What's the story
During the first leg of her three-day visit, President Droupadi Murmu had a lighthearted exchange with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the Kannada language. The exchange took place during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of the All India Institute of Speech and Hearing (AIISH) on Monday. Siddaramaiah had started his welcome address in Kannada and midway glanced toward the president with a smile to ask, "Do you know Kannada?"
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President Murmu’s Kannada Moment
— Nabila Jamal (@nabilajamal_) September 1, 2025
At AIISH Diamond Jubilee, #Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah asked President Murmu: “Do you know Kannada?”
President Murmu replies saying she respects all Indian languages & pledged to learn Kannada “little by little” ❤️ pic.twitter.com/r3BgDmE4Em
Linguistic respect
What Murmu said
Responding to Siddaramaiah's question, President Murmu said, "I would like to tell the Honorable Chief Minister that although Kannada is not my mother tongue, I deeply cherish all the languages, cultures and traditions of my country." She went on to say that she respects each of them. The president also urged people to keep their languages alive. "And I will certainly make an effort to learn Kannada, little by little," she added
Language activism
Siddaramaiah's earlier stance on language issue
The exchange comes amid a renewed debate over language in Karnataka. Months ago, Siddaramaiah had advocated for the wider use of Kannada, saying, "We are all Kannadigas. People speaking different languages have settled in here (and) everyone living in this state should learn to speak Kannada." His comments had drawn criticism from opposition leaders and parties.
Language enforcement
Pro-Kannada groups demand stricter implementation of language
In recent months, pro-Kannada groups have stepped up their campaigns, demanding stricter implementation of the language in administration and education. This includes a two-language model similar to Tamil Nadu's school system. On December 27, 2023, the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) held protests in Bengaluru to "enforce" a Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) circular mandating all signboards to display at least 60% Kannada content.