Karnataka Minister for Kannada and Culture Shivaraj Tangadagi is facing backlash after a video emerged showing him having difficulty writing in Kannada at an event in Koppal district. The incident, which occurred at an anganwadi in Karatagi village, has sparked criticism from political opponents and social media users.
The viral footage shows Tangadagi attempting to write ‘shubhavagali’ (best of luck) in Kannada, as per a report on India Today. Although he did not make any spelling mistakes, his struggle to complete the word led to widespread trolling.
The BJP, seizing on the controversy, took to X (formerly Twitter) to accuse the Congress government of neglecting the Kannada language. “Kannada is being suppressed by the Kannaramaiah government. On one side is the illiterate Education Minister @Madhu_Bangarapp who cannot read or write Kannada, while the Minister of Kannada and Culture @sstangadagi is struggling to write a simple Kannada word,” the party stated.
ಕನ್ನರಾಮಯ್ಯ ಸರ್ಕಾರದಿಂದ ಕನ್ನಡದ ಕಗ್ಗೂಲೆ
ಕನ್ನಡ ಓದಲು ಬರೆಯಲು ಬಾರದ ಅನಕ್ಷರಸ್ಥ ಶಿಕ್ಷಣ ಸಚಿವ @Madhu_Bangarapp ಒಂದು ಕಡೆಯಾದರೆ, ಕನ್ನಡದ ಸುಲಭವಾದ ಪದವನ್ನು ಬರೆಯಲು ಕನ್ನಡ ಮತ್ತು ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ ಸಚಿವ @sstangadagi ವಿಲ ವಿಲ ಒದ್ದಾಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
ಅನಕ್ಷರಸ್ಥರ ದೊಡ್ಡಿಯಾಗಿರುವ @INCKarnataka ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಕನ್ನಡದ ಅಸ್ಮಿತಿಗೆ ಕೊಳ್ಳಿ… pic.twitter.com/BrCXTJxaf3
— BJP Karnataka (@BJP4Karnataka) February 2, 2025
Further criticising the ruling party, BJP leaders pointed to repeated errors in Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) exam papers and the closure of Kannada-medium schools, arguing that such issues threaten the language’s prominence in the state.
Tangadagi, a three-time MLA from Kanakagiri and a Bachelor of Science graduate, is the second Karnataka minister after Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa to face criticism over language proficiency, reported News18. Despite the backlash, it is important to note that while he had trouble writing, he did not misspell the word.
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