Language row simmers, Sidda promises to bring in ordinance

Karnataka will soon pass an ordinance directing all commercial establishments to use signboards and name plates with at least 60% Kannada signage on them, chief minister Siddaramaiah said on Thursday, doubling down on a fractious language issue that triggered violent protests by a fringe group a day ago.

- Arun Dev

The CM met officials from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and the department of kannada and culture, condemned the vandalism of shops and establishments in Bengaluru, and said that the new ordinance will be in place by February 28, 2024.

“I have directed the officials of BBMP and the culture department to pass an ordinance and implement the 60% Kannada rule on all nameplates. Rules will be formed, and they will be notified to everyone,” he said after the meeting.

“Kannada boards are a must. This is Kannada nadu and the boards should be in Kannada here. We are not opposed to other languages, but Kannada should be prominent,” he added.

The announcement came a day after vandals from fringe language group, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Narayana Gowda faction), ran riot across commercial neighbourhoods in Bengaluru, attacking stores in key markets and business hubs, smashing and blackening signboards.

The Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) has reiterated its commitment to adhere to government regulations. It, however, requested the state government to not take any action under the rule until the February 28, 2024 deadline. “We appeal to the government and BBMP not to initiate any action based on the aforementioned rule until the deadline of February 28, 2024, and also urge the government to ensure that no one takes the law into their own hands to harass trade and commercial establishments,” FKCCI president Ramesh Chandra Lahoti said in a statement.