The controversy over a Urdu nameplate at the newly constructed building of the Kalaburagi City Corporation refuses to die down.
Divisive flames have been stoked once again after the city corporation authorities installed the Urdu nameplate on the newly constructed office building on Friday night.
Members of pro-Kannada organisations and BJP councillors staged a protest outside the corporation’s new building on Saturday demanding that the Urdu nameplate be removed.
“Earlier, the nameplate was only in Kannada; the Urdu and English nameplates were installed on Friday night,” the agitators said and submitted a memorandum demanding that the corporation commissioner remove the Urdu and English nameplates. The corporation commissioner has, however, refused to entertain their request.
Six BJP councillors, Vittal Jadhav (Leader of the Opposition), Vishal Dhargi, Shivu Swamy Mathapati, Shivanand Ashtagi, Veeranna Honnalli and R.S. Patil, and activists of pro-Kannada organisations were detained by alert police officials, after they raised slogans against the State government, district authorities and the corporation officials.
Last year, members of the Muslim League Welfare Society staged a protest outside the city corporation building and splashed black paint on the Mayor’s car for not having the Urdu nameplate. They had also demanded that Kannada and English nameplates be removed from the office.
