After activists of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) staged a protest in the city over use of Kannada on signboards, leading to vandalism, the Karnataka government decided to promulgate an Ordinance to bring more clarity on usage of the language on signboards of shops, business establishments, and government agencies in the State.
After a meeting with all stakeholders, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that while the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act, 2022 mandated Kannada in signboards, it lacked clarity. “A 2018 circular issued by the government had said signboards should have at least 60% of the text in Kannada and 40% in any other language. This clarity is lacking in the new law. We will bring an Ordinance to make the 60:40 Kannada-English ratio clear in the 2022 law. The government will also amend Section 18 of the 2022 law to formulate fresh rules for usage of Kannada in signboards,” Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
Following the promulgation of Ordinance, the rule will be enforced from February 28, 2024, the Chief Minister said. He said all private establishments must implement this rule and change their signboards accordingly before the deadline.
Strict action against vandalism
While saying that the government is committed to implementing the Kannada signboard rule, Mr. Siddaramaiah said it would not condone violence.
“Everybody has a right to hold a peaceful protest in a democracy. However, these protests need to adhere to some norms and have to be peaceful. For instance, the High Court has given a clear direction to ensure all protests are held only at Freedom Park. Whoever takes law into their own hands and indulge in violence will be dealt with seriously,” he said.
Narayana Gowda arrested
The Bengaluru City Police have registered 10 cases against KRV activists for acts of vandalism on Wednesday and arrested a total of 53 activists including KRV president T.A. Narayana Gowda. Mr. Gowda was presented before a magistrate on Thursday morning and was remanded to 14 days’ judicial custody. He was lodged in Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in the city. High drama prevailed outside the prison complex where his family members and activists demanded that he be given home-cooked food, clothes, and other facilities.
