Amid a massive furore that erupted in Karnataka in December over inadequate usage of the Kannada language in signboards and nameplates in the state, the Karnataka cabinet on Friday finally gave its nod to the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development (Amendment) ordinance.
With this, all the commercial establishments, industries, hospitals, institutions, and organizations will now have to have to use 60 percent Kannada language on the signboards and nameplates.
CM Siddaramaiah's announcement of bringing ordinance
Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced that the Congress-led government would introduce an ordinance to ensure that 60 percent of space on signboards and nameplates is dedicated to Kannada, with the rest left to any other language.
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Moreover, it was also told that an amendment would be introduced to section 17(6) of the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act (KLCDA) - 2022 as well, which was promulgated by the previous BJP government on March 10, 2023, ahead of the assembly elections.
After convening a meeting with the officials of the Kannada and Culture Department and Bengaluru civic agencies, CM Siddaramaiah told reporters, “People have to follow rules and if someone ignores them, then they will face the consequences. This I am making clear to everyone. I appeal to all the organizations and the activists not to take the law into their own hands.”
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Regarding the KLCDA-2022, Siddaramaiah underlined that section 17 (6) of the Act says that commercial, industrial, or business organizations, institutions, hospitals, laboratories, entertainment centers, hotels, etc should allocate half of the space on signboards and nameplates to information in Kannada, with the consent of either government or the local representatives. The rest of the portion can be in any other language.
Citing the fact that during his previous tenure as chief minister, a circular was issued on March 24, 2018 to ensure 60 percent of the space of nameplates and signboards had Kannada language, the chief minister said, "Today we decided that the signboards and name plates should be 60:40 as per the previous circular. We will bring an amendment to section 17(6) of the said Act, which was introduced by the Kannada and Culture Department."
Violence in Karnataka over 60 percent Kannada row
Back in December, the pro-Kannada activists of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Narayana Gowda faction) staged a massive protest in Bengaluru by damaging several signboards and nameplates that did not use Kannada language and claimed that the organizations were "undermining the official language of Karnataka, which is Kannada."
Moreover, the activists took out rallies in various parts of the city, especially in the 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.
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Many malls, shops, commercial buildings, companies and factories, especially multinational companies, faced the ire of KRV activists. They destroyed and defaced signboards and nameplates which were not in Kannada.
Later, the agitating members including the KRV convener T A Narayana Gowda, were taken under preventive custody by police.
In light of the atmosphere of violence in the state, CM Siddaramaiah issued a warning to the vandals who went on a rampage on Wednesday damaging offices, shops, business establishments and buildings in protest against nameplates and signboards not displaying information in Kannada.
"Government is not against peaceful protests at a designated place. We will not stop anyone from protesting because we believe in democracy and the Constitution, but if anyone goes against the law then the government will not tolerate it,” the chief minister said
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However, 15 members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, who were arrested for vandalising English signboards in Bengaluru, were released from police custody on bail on Thursday night.
