Protest on removal of Kannada boards from trains

Mysore, Dec 16: More than 100 litterateurs, political leaders, freedom fighters, theatre artistes and activists of Kannada organisations today staged a demonstration in front of the railway station here, protesting against the Railway Board's order to exclude Kannada from the destination boards of trains.

The protestors, including former Union Minister V Sreenivasa Prasad, Lok Sabha member C H Vijayashankar, noted columnist prof H S Krishnaswamy Iyengar, writer Dr M Akbar Ali, Poet Dr C P Krishna Kumar and former Vice-Chancellor Prof H J Lakkappa Gowda, sat in a dharna for over three hours.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Prasad alleged that the Railway Board's order was an attack on regional languages, which should be condemned outright by all States. The issue should be debated in Parliament and if the Government did not respond, the agitation would be intensifed, he warned.

The speakers said that though the country had accepted the three language formula, comprising English, Hindi and the respective regional language, the Railway Board had followed a ''partisan'' attitude and hurt the sentiments of the State.

Mr Vijayashankar said he would raise the issue in Parliament.

The protestors submitted a memorandum to the station master.

UNI