Bengaluru, Feb 21 (IANS): Karnataka BJP on Wednesday said that the Congress government in Karnataka, under the "pressure of missionaries", is issuing orders to "wipe out" the identity and culture of the state and Kannada language.

Taking to social media, the BJP said: "Under the pressure of missionaries, who are running 90 per cent of private schools, the government has passed an order making the singing of regional anthem in the private schools optional."

The Congress government is adamantly pursuing to wipe out the local culture and language of Karnataka, the party charged.

"The Congress government has changed the slogan of Rastra Kavi Kuvempu painted at the entrance of the residential schools and insulted the Kannada people. Fake lover of Kannada language, CM Siddaramaiah led government had issued a fatwa on Kannada language on the occasion of the International Mother Language Day," the party said.

"If you have any shame and honour, if you think you are indebted to your motherland, revert the order immediately and make the regional anthem compulsory along with the national anthem," the BJP said.

The order released by the Kannada and Culture Department on February 16 mentioned that singing of the regional anthem of Karnataka state is mandatory only in government schools, departments and functions organised by government departments. Earlier order in this regard said that singing of the regional anthem was compulsory in all schools of the state.

The Siddaramaiah government drew flak from after the copy of the order went viral on social media.

Leader of opposition in the state Assembly R. Ashoka said the Congress government has once again displayed its anti-Kannada stand by making singing of regional anthem optional in the private schools.

"Siddaramaiah led government had made a futile attempt to change the slogan at the entrance of schools. By the recent order, it has insulted the motherland," R. Ashoka stated.

Meanwhile, Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi on Wednesday maintained that it was just a printing mistake and he will get it rectified. "Our government is concerned about the Kannada language. We are clear about it," he said.