Overview

• The Karnataka government has sued the BJP for defamation after the party claimed it favoured Urdu over Kannada in the state budget.
• Chief Minister Siddaramaiah described the BJP’s allegations as a “deliberate attempt to create communal tension” by focusing on a Rs32 crore allocation for Kannada.
• Documents show the 2025-26 budget allocates Rs38,688 crore to Kannada-medium education and Rs999.30 crore for government school infrastructure.
• A separate Rs100 crore grant under the Minority Welfare Department is earmarked for upgrading Urdu-medium schools with better classrooms, teachers, textbooks and facilities.
• The state also funds regional language promotion through annual Rs80 lakh grants to academies for Tulu, Konkani, Kodava, Byari and Arebhashe, plus a dedicated Department of Kannada and Culture.