Pro-Kannada activists go on rampage in Bengaluru, damage signboards for not using local language

PTI

Bengaluru, December 27

The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike on Wednesday targeted business establishments in Bengaluru and damaged their signboards and name plates that did not display the information in Kannada.

The activists of the Narayana Gowda faction of the KRS held rallies in various parts of the city, especially in business hubs such as MG Road, Brigade Road, Lavelle Road, UB City, Chamarajapet, Chickpet, Kempe Gowda Road, Gandhi Nagar, St Marks Road, Cunningham Road, Residency Road and Sadahalli Gate near Devanahalli.

The activists claimed that the business establishments were "undermining the official language of Karnataka, which is Kannada." Many malls, shops, commercial buildings, companies and factories, especially multinational companies, faced the ire of KRV activists, who damaged and defaced signboards and name plates which were not in Kannada.

Later, the agitating members, including KRV convenor T A Narayana Gowda, were taken into preventive custody by the police.

Addressing reporters, Gowda said that name plates and signboards in Karnataka should be in Kannada.

Citing BBMP rules, he said, "Sixty per cent of the (space on the) signboards and name plates should be in Kannada. We are not against your business but if you are doing business in Karnataka then you have to respect our language. If you ignore Kannada or put Kannada letters in small, we will not let you operate here." The KRV leader warned the government that it would face the music in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections if it did not take their love for Kannada seriously.

The Ballari road leading to the airport and other places was chock-a-block with activists, which led to vehicles moving at snail's pace.

The police too found themselves helpless before the agitating crowd, which had gone berserk.

Meanwhile, state Home Minister G Parameshwara told media in Kalaburagi that the pro-Kannada activists have been warning against leaving out Kannada from signboards, advertisements and name plates.

He said the government respects Kannada very much as it uses the state's official language for all its activities.

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