Bengaluru, Feb 12 : Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot in his address to the joint session of both Houses of the State legislature here on Monday said the Constitution is the national religion.

The Governor said, 'As per our Constitution there are restrictions on the use of religion, caste in elections. We should ensure that all our actions and activities are in accordance with the Constitution. We all need to be determined and protect the Constitutional institutions so that they are not weakened or misused for any reason. For us the Constitution is the national religion. We have to take a firm pledge that if we protect the Constitution, the Constitution will protect us.

"The government has realized the necessity of correcting deficiency in the field of education and restructuring it according to the needs of the times. The State Education Policy will show a new direction for the country in this regard,' he stated.

The Governor further said, 'Survival and growth of Kannada language is a matter of life and death for us. We will not tolerate any attack on our language and culture. My government is committed to preserve and develop our mother tongue and the Karnataka culture advocated by Basavanna, Kuvempu at any cost. Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act ' 2022 is framed for the holistic development of Kannada language and it will be implemented shortly.

'Development where wealth is concentrated in a few individuals cannot be called development. Therefore, the government has decided to make economic development in such a way that the disadvantaged masses will be included in the overall economic development and the fruits of economic development will naturally be available to all. Guarantee schemes are just a beginning.

"New innovations in technology are occupying all aspects of people's lives and creating new opportunities. We are devising a new education policy to equip our youth to embrace these opportunities and inculcate entrepreneurship. The State Education Policy of Karnataka will open up new possibilities of providing education that will meet the needs of present and future with the educational progress that the state has achieved,' he said.

The Governor further stated that in these eight months investments of more than Rs 77,000 crore have come into the state. 'Up to the end of January, I am proud to state that the rate of growth in the GST collection of our state stands first in the country,' he stated.

/IANS