The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Narayana Gowda faction) targeted commercial locations in Bengaluru on Wednesday, causing damage to signboards and nameplates that weren’t written in Kannada.
Rallies were held in several areas of the city, including MG Road, Brigade Road, Lavelle Road, UB City, Chamarajapet, Chickpet, Kempe Gowda Road, Gandhi Nagar, St Marks Road, Cunningham Road, Residency Road, and Sadahalli Gate near Devanahalli. According to the campaigners, the businesses were “undermining the official language of Karnataka, which is Kannada.”
KRV activists targeted several malls, stores, commercial buildings, enterprises, and industries, particularly multinational corporations. They vandalized and defaced non-Kannada signboards and nameplates. Later, police took preventative custody of the agitated members, including KRV leader T A Narayana Gowda. Gowda told reporters that nameplates and signboards in Karnataka should be in Kannada.
What is a 60 percent Kannada order?
Tushar Giri Nath, the chief commissioner of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), has said that commercial outlets under the administrative body must install 60 percent Kannada language nameplates by February 28, or face legal action.
“There are 1400 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads in the city, and all the commercial shops on these roads will be surveyed zone wise. After the survey a notice will be given to the shops that do not use 60% Kannada language. After issuing the notice, they will be given time till February 28 to implement Kannada language nameplates and submit compliance to the respective zone commissioners,” Tushar Giri Nath said.
“Legal action will be taken against shops that do not install Kannada nameplates by February 28. Accordingly, shop fronts that do not use Kannada language on nameplates will be suspended as per the law and then their license will be cancelled,” he added.
Protests around Bengaluru
The Garden City of India witnessed protests all over the city. Protesters caused major traffic disruptions and damage to over four stores on Bengaluru’s airport route, causing chaos to emerge. Protesters demanding Kannada signage stopped traffic in the region, causing heavy congestion that affected ambulance service. Some protesters got aboard police vans, turning the demonstration violent. Even popular establishments like McDonald’s on the airport road was targeted by the Pro-Kannada protestors and vandalized.
Phoenix Mall of Asia in Hebbal and Phoenix Market City in Whitefield, two of Bengaluru’s most well-liked shopping locations, were closed on Wednesday. Reportedly, the mall is still locked abruptly, with police positioned at the gate, refusing people’s entry and warning them not to try to enter the building since it is closed for the day.
Sources claim that the shutdown occurred because of the missing nameplates in the Kannada language, however, the official cause is still unknown. This shows the seriousness of the issues all over the city
The government has set a deadline for business organizations to display Kannada signage by February, but protests are happening months in advance. In an interview with reporters, KRV president Narayana Gowda justified the demonstrations by stating, “We are not saying Gujaratis, Sindhis, or Marwaris can’t work here, but the usage of our mother tongue to represent that work is essential.”
It is now that protests are being highlighted but the Pro-Kannada activists were active for a very long time and the issues of harassment came where the auto drivers harassed non-speaking Kannada people. It is not only limited to here but Choreographer Salman Yusuff Khan was also harassed at Bengaluru airport for not speaking in Kannada and it is not limited to here but many people are harassed daily in Bengaluru for not speaking in Kannada, be it a celebrity or a common man.
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