Mangaluru: The demand for inclusion of Tulu in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution echoed strongly on Sunday with Sri Kshetra Dharmastala dharmadhikari D Veerendra Heggade requesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fulfill the long-pending demand.

At a public function organised to distribute RuPay cards to beneficiaries of Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project at Ujire, Heggade said that Tulu is one of the widely spoken local languages in coastal area. “Kindly give Tulu its due place like other languages by including it in the 8th Schedule,” Heggade requested Modi while reminding the latter about a memorandum submitted to him in this regard.

Echoing similar views, thousands of people started a Twitter campaign a hashtag #TuluTo8thSchedule #Tulu, seeking Tulu be included in the 8th schedule. The campaign commenced on Saturday at 6am with thousands of people tweeting to PM Narendra Modi, chief minister Siddaramaiah and Union home minister Rajanath Singh.

Kiran of Tulunadu Sangathane, who initiated the campaign, said; “It is our long pending demand and the campaign was to draw attention of the Prime Minister.” A similar campaign was launched in August this year where more than 50,000 people participated.