Row over Karnataka conductor being told to speak in Marathi thickens; attacks on buses prompt halt

Old wound that still festers

- Hirekop Rajan Samuel

BELAGAVI: Interstate bus services between Karnataka and Maharashtra remained suspended for the second day in a row on Sunday as protests continued over the ongoing dispute over language in the border district of Belagavi.

Belagavi divisional controller Rajesh Potdar said that Karnataka state transport buses to Maharashtra have been halted due to the "volatile situation". The Belagavi division, which operates around 120 buses daily from Nippani, Chikkodi, and Athani, have suspended services to the neighboring state since Saturday afternoon.

"To minimize inconvenience for passengers, we are operating buses only up to the state border," he said. "From there, commuters are boarding Maharashtra state buses to continue their journey."

Maharashtra transport minister Pratap Sarnaik ordered the suspension of state transport buses to Karnataka on Saturday. The move came hours after a bus driver of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC), identified as Bhaskar Jadhav, was allegedly attacked and his face was blackened by miscreants.

The row stems from a dispute over language that took place in Belagavi on Friday when a bus conductor, identified as Mahadevappa Mallappa Hukkeri (51), was allegedly assaulted for not speaking Marathi.

The conductor alleged that a 17-year-old girl, who boarded the state-owned transport corporation bus with her male friend at Sulebhavi village, abused him when he asked her to speak in Kannada.

"When I said I don't know Marathi, the girl abused me saying that I must learn Marathi. Suddenly a large number of people gathered and assaulted me," the conductor told reporters on Saturday.

The minor, along with three others, including her friend, were apprehended on Friday night, police said. Another person was arrested on Sunday, they added.

The apprehended minor also filed a counter-complaint at Marihal police station accusing the bus conductor of misbehaving with her.