‘Bengaluru-style protests will happen across Karnataka if…’: Kannada activists

Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) president Narayana Gowda said that ‘Bengaluru-style’ protests will occur across the state if shop owners do not comply with the ‘60% Kannada’ on signboards rule. He also said that the government must strictly implement the law without being soft to business owners.
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In December, Kannada activists vandalised a few shops in Bengaluru for having English on their name boards. Bengaluru police also arrested Gowda and other Kannada activists for creating a ruckus in the city.
Speaking to reporters in Belagavi, Narayana Gowda said, “The government deadline to install name plates with 60% Kannada on it will end on February 28. This must be implemented strictly across the state. If the shops do not follow this rule, we will conduct ‘Bengaluru-style’ protests all over Karnataka.”
Gowda also alleged that the government only shows concern for Kannada to grab votes from people. He said, “It is government’s duty to make sure the local language is protected. But our government is acting like a puppet in the hands of capitalists. They put me behind bars for weeks as if I had committed a huge crime. Number of cases were filed against me for fighting for Kannadiga rights,” he added.
BBMP commissioner Tushar Girinath said strict action will be taken according to the law if shop owners do not follow the rule. In December. He said, “Legal action will be taken against shops that do not install Kannada name plates by February 28. Accordingly, shop fronts that do not use the Kannada language on nameplates will be suspended as per the law, and their license will be cancelled.”
According to BBMP, the city has 1400 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads, 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.