Pro-Kannada activists stage protest, vandalise shops and signboards

The Bengaluru Police on Wednesday detained the members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), a pro-Kannada activist group, who were staging a protest in Karnataka’s Bengaluru demanding that all businesses and enterprises in Karnataka should put up nameplates in Kannada in their shops to fulfil the state government obligation that 60 per cent of the nameplate should be in Kannada.

The public awareness protest was held under the leadership of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike State President T A Narayan Gowda.
Meanwhile, it has also come to the fore that the KRV activists vandalised some of the shop boards carrying English nameplates. The members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike also broke flower pots outside the Mall of Asia in Bangalore, broke English signboards and sprayed black ink.

KRV State President T N Narayan Gowda said, “People from various states are doing business in Bangalore. But they don’t put Kannada nameplates on their shops. They are only putting up the nameplates of their shops in English. If they want to stay back in Bangalore then they have to put nameplates on their shops in Kannada or else they have to move from Karnataka to other states.”
He further said that there is a Karnataka government law that 60 per cent of the nameplate should be in Kannada.

“No one is following it properly, so today we are doing a massive awareness protest rally. If the police stop us today, our struggle will not stop. We will continue the rally every day till our demands are met,” he added.
He further alleged that Mall of Asia (Bengaluru) has not put a Kannada nameplate.
“We told them to put a Kannada nameplate but Mall of Asia (Bangalore) did not bother and has not put a Kannada nameplate so we will fight against this. Today police are providing full protection to the Mall of Asia (Bengaluru), but tomorrow who will provide protection? Tomorrow again our activists will protest, till our demand is fulfilled,” he added.
The rally was held from Nada Prabhu Kempegowda International Airport Toll (Sadarahalli Gate) to Cubbon Park.

Earlier, Tushar Giri Nath, chief commissioner of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), said that by February 28, commercial stores under the administrative body need to install 60 per cent Kannada language nameplates, which, if failing to do so, will attract legal action.
Addressing a meeting at Malleswaram IPP hall with the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike regarding the mandatory use of Kannada language in the nameplates of all types of commercial shops under the corporation, he said that a meeting will be held with all the zonal commissioners regarding the mandatory use of Kannada language on the nameplates and appropriate directions will be given.

“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.