Education, Secularism And Cultural Roots Key To Beary Community's Future: Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday called upon the Beary community to protect its identity and unity, cautioning against attempts to divide the community on any grounds. He said that preserving social harmony within the community was essential, irrespective of where its members lived or worked.

Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the Beary Koota 2026, organised by the Bearys Central Committee, Bengaluru, at Palace Grounds, the Chief Minister said that even though Tulu and Beary languages do not have their own scripts, the community had safeguarded its cultural identity through Kannada. “It is important to continue preserving your identity through Kannada and remain rooted in your culture,” he said.

Siddaramaiah noted that members of the Beary community from Dakshina Kannada were working across the country and abroad, yet had not let go of their cultural roots. “Despite living in different regions, the Beary community has retained its identity and sense of belonging,” he said.

Secular values and social harmony

The Chief Minister described the Beary community as secular in outlook. He said the community had traditionally lived without obsession over caste or religion and had maintained harmonious relations with all sections of society. “As traders by tradition, Barys have lived alongside other communities, respecting their culture while protecting their own,” Siddaramaiah said.

He underlined that all religions emphasise love, mutual respect and humane living. “Interpreting religion to suit one’s convenience is not right. What matters is living together with compassion and understanding,” he added.

Education is key to gender equality

Siddaramaiah welcomed the growing focus on education for girls within the Beary community, calling it a positive change. He recalled that women were denied access to education in earlier times, but said the situation had improved in recent years. “Education is essential to remove gender discrimination. When girls are educated, society moves forward,” he said.

Reiterating the government’s support for preserving Bary language and culture, the Chief Minister recalled that Rs 5 crore had been provided for the construction of a Beary Bhavan. He said the government had also sanctioned Rs 3 crore for the Mangaluru Beary Academy and Rs 10 crore for the Haj Bhavan. Siddaramaiah also praised Assembly Speaker U T Khader, stating that he was discharging his responsibilities impartially and with dignity.

Also Read:

1. Bengaluru AgriWalk Focuses On Empowering Farmers Through Processing And Market Access
2. Karnataka Govt’s Persistence Pays Off As 16th Finance Commission Raises State’s Share In Central Tax Pool To 4.13%