Sir,

This refers to the article “Of Linguistic Pride and Prejudice — H.D. Kumaraswamy, Chief Minister, has a point” (SOM dated Jan. 5). I have been an avid reader of SOM till date and not once KBG’s articles in the column Abracadabra has failed to amaze me. SOM has always believed that comments are free but facts are sacred and since comments are free, I want to take liberty to freely state my comment on the aforementioned issue.

I work for an NGO called U&I where I go every weekend to teach English to “underprivileged” kids. The reason, I believe, that these kids are polarised to be called underprivileged is because they are not privileged to master the language of the world. I personally see kids struggling to read basic of the basic letters and I have seen them distraught because they failed at it. We go there and help them read and write English because we want them to have access to the quality education, we want to see them make big in life and primarily, we do not want them to be called underprivileged or disadvantaged because they could never make an attempt at learning.

This initiative by HDK to introduce English medium in 1,000 Government Schools will definitely go a long way, if implemented rightly. It would mean that the elderly lady you met in the morning would be happy to see her daughter at an Ayurvedic Centre, it would mean that the Government is not jeopardising the future of “underprivileged” children in the guise of linguistic pride.

– Sindhu Nagaraj, Mysuru, 6.1.2019

You can also mail us your views, opinions, and stories to [email protected]