The language row in Karnataka escalated sharply on Wednesday after protests demanding 60% Kannada language on signboards in Bengaluru turned into vandalism. Several boards were defaced during a procession carried out by Karnataka Rakshna Vedike (KRV) Sadahalli toll gate towards the city. Similar protests were carried out in different parts of the city where the demonstrators defaced sign boards that did not have Kannada. This prompted security officials to detain protestors, including KRV President, TA Narayana Gowda.
In one of the videos that has gone viral, it can be seen that protestors, including men and women wearing yellow and red scarves, were outside a hotel and were tearing down all the signboards with English directions.
Notably, the procession was carried out in Bengaluru by a pro-Kannada outfit only after the expiration of the deadline to mandate 60% Kannada on signboards across the city. The protestors demanded immediate implementation of this order given by the city’s civic board, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, which directed 60% of the businesses to have signs in Kannada.
BBMP chief Tushar Giri Nath gave February 28 as the deadline for all businesses to comply, failing which they could face legal action, including suspension of business licenses. The language row in the state has come back to focus now after Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah in October urged all the citizens to learn to speak Kannada.
KRV President Gowda stated that police officials have thwarted the protests that were being carried out by pro-Kannada outfits. He added that CM Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM had permitted them to carry out the protests, and had also assured him that no arrests would take place. He threatened that if the security personnel arrested the members of the pro-Kannada outfit, then they would be responsible for any unforeseen incidents in Bengaluru.
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