"If you eat Kannada food, you must speak up when injustice is done to Kannada"; Ravi Ganiga lashes out at Shivarajkumar

Tamil actor Kamal Haasan's controversial statement – Shivarajkumar's defence of the explanation that "Kannada is a language originating from Tamil" – has now sparked a controversy. Congress MLA from Mandya, Ravi Ganiga, has clearly raised the issue and said that those who are close to Kannada should not remain silent so easily.

"You eat Kannada rice, but why are you silent when your mother Kannada is insulted?" asks Ravi Ganiga. He said, "Shivarajkumar's protection of Kamal Haasan is an insult to Kannadigas". "If there is friendship, call home for lunch, but there is no protection on stage," he said. Ravi Ganiga also took a scathing attack on Kamal Haasan and said, "If he is silent when he has to talk about Kannada, then his 'I will die for Kannada' has no meaning." "Hosur was part of Mysore till 1799. Now if it is given back to Karnataka, we will be satisfied," he said.

He also warned that if Kamal Haasan does not apologise, the release of 'Thuglife' should not be allowed in Karnataka. "Let the Chamber of Commerce give up butter talk and take a tough decision. Otherwise, let the government intervene," he said. Expressing his displeasure over the stand taken by Shivarajkumar and actress Ramya, he said, "They are not standing up for Kannadigas but are attracted to praises. At least when there is a problem with Kannada, one should respond boldly," he said.

Ravi Ganiga finally warned Kamal Haasan to "hold his tongue and speak", sarcastically saying, "Instead of using the Kannada word Kamal, let us use the Tamil word 'Thevar' and name it 'Thevar Haasan'."