Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar Shaw and the Kannada Development Authority (KDA) engaged in a war of words after she called the latter an "insignificant group of naysayers" for opposing the Karnataka government's proposal to introduce English-medium classes in 1,000 primary schools of the state.
"Media always portrays a small & insignificant group of naysayers as 'activists' - these r usually attention seeking trouble makers who don't care about education nor employment (sic)," Shaw said in a tweet on July 7, referring to the KDA's stand on the issue.
That day KDA chairman S G Siddaramaiah had led a delegation to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy, urging him to rollback the proposal to introduce English-medium classes in schools and instead encourage education in the mother tongue, Kannada.
The delegation comprised freedom fighter H S Doreswamy and writers Chandrashekar Kambar, Chandrashekar Patil and M Chidanandamurthy.
Responding to the Kannada Development Authority's stand, Shaw said "political malcontents" were trying to play mischief, adding that she stood by her comments that students should learn Kannada and English for competent job opportunities.
"...I stand by this for the sake of Karnataka's youth. Pls don't twist my comments. CM is also saying this #CMofKarnataka (sic)," she said.
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Taking objection to Shaw's comments, the KDA chairman wrote a letter to her seeking apology.
"I have no option but to sympathise with your views on education, that is devoid of cultural and human values. It is but natural for people like you to simply equate education with employment, to wash your hands of by whimsically adopting few government schools out of your CSR funds and inculcate unwanted English ambitions in their minds," he said.
Siddaramaiah added that the government patronised the mother tongue in the best possible way.
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