Bengaluru: English nameplates of shops vandalised after ’60% Kannada’ order

mangaloretoday.com

Bengaluru, Dec 27, 2023: The language row in Karnataka escalated on Wednesday with pro-Kannada activists from the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike holding violent protests demanding ‘60% Kannada’ on all signboards at the earliest.

 

While some activists tore down English signboards, others sprayed black ink on English letters. Several protesters, mostly wearing yellow and red scarves (the colours of the Kannada flag), stormed into businesses and tore down English signage. The rampage stopped after police intervention.

Police officials used lathicharge and detained some of the protesters to control the situation.

Police detained members of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, protesting to deliver messages to owners of many malls, shops, commercial buildings, companies and factories, especially multinational companies delivering Kannada sign boards and give more visibility to the Kannada language.

The protests came a day after the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) said it will suspend licences for shops, hotels, and malls that do not comply with the 60 per cent Kannada rule on signboards by February 28.

All hotels, malls, and other shops must mandatorily use Kannada on their signboards, the city’s civic body ordered, adding that stringent action will be taken against those who do not comply.

Bengaluru has 1,400 km arterial and sub-arterial roads. A survey will be done to make note of shops that have followed the rules regarding Kannada language usage on signboards.

Courtesy: India Today