Kannada Rakshana Vedhike Leads Protest For 60% Kannada Nameplates In Bengaluru Shops

Kannada Rakshana Vedhike held a protest in Bengaluru demanding all businesses and enterprises in Karnataka to put nameplates in Kannada.

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.

The activists said 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. They destroyed and defaced signboards and name plates which were not in Kannada. Later, the agitating members including the KRV convener T A Narayana Gowda, were taken under preventive custody by police.

Speaking to reporters, Gowda said the name plates and signboards in Karnataka should be in Kannada.

"As per rule 60 per cent of 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," Gowda said.

It must be noted that Tushar Giri Nath, chief commissioner of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), had earlier said that by February 28, commercial stores under the administrative body need to install 60 percent Kannada language nameplates, which, if failing to do so or it will attract legal action.

"After the survey, shops not meeting the 60% Kannada language requirement will be notified," stated Nath. "They will then have until February 28 to comply, prominently display Kannada on their nameplates, and provide proof of compliance to their respective zone commissioners."

Nath also met with representatives from Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, a group advocating Kannada usage. TA Narayana Gowda, the state president of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, mentioned their concerns raised with municipal authorities in Bengaluru after a shopping mall in Hebbal area violated state regulations for storefront signage.

While it's mandatory for commercial stores to showcase Kannada text, enforcement of this rule has been relaxed, prompting protests from groups like Karnataka Rakshana Vedike.