Respect for the land and language is non-negotiable: Naveen Shankar

Kannada actor Naveen Shankar took to his social media handle to react to the ongoing language dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka. “The recent developments in Belagavi are alarming. The government must take strict action against those who have insulted our language. Our leaders must provide justice to Kannadigas who have been repeatedly facing trouble in this region. #LongLiveKannada (sic)” (translated from Kannada).

The actor further told us, “It pains me to see this happening time and again. As someone born, raised, and earning a living on Kannada soil, it is my responsibility to respect my language and stand up for it. I don’t believe in forcing language on anyone, but respect is non-negotiable. If you live here, acknowledging and respecting the local language is non-negotiable. Respect must go both ways.”