EXPLAINED | What is the Kannada language row, sparking protest & vandalism

Bengaluru: After Karnataka authorities directed the business owners to put signboards in Kannada language, the pro-Kannada language organisations staged a massive protest at multiple sites in the state including the capital city- Bengaluru on Wednesday, December 27. 

With this language has once again taken the centre-stage in Karnataka’s politics. This comes after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah asserted in the month of October that everyone residing in the state must learn the Kannada language, asserting that everyone living in Karnataka is a “Kannadiga”. 

Widespread protests across Karnataka 

Helmed by Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) held a protest at the Bangalore's Kempegowda International Airport (BLR). The KRV activists organised a march from Sadahalli Gate of the Kempegowda airport to Cubbon park. 

Apart from this, the activists from the Narayan Gowda faction of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) have also vandalised hotel signboards, bill boards on the roads. 

With Kannada flag in hand (red and yellow flag) a group of activists has also began marching towards the main city of Bengaluru. The law-enforcement agencies have taken all precautionary measures to contain the law and order situation. Large number of police personnel have been deployed in the city, especially near protest sites and Kempegowda Airport. 

What are pro-Kannada activists protesting? 

The Pro-Kannada activists have initiated the protest with the demand of ‘60% name board rule’ to be implemented immediately across the state. The pro-Kannada activists have asked all businesses and enterprises in Karnataka to put nameplates in Kannada language. 

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara palike (BBMP) has issued a directive asking the commercial stores to install 60 per cent Kannada language nameplates by february 28, 2024. Failing to install the nameplates may attract legal trouble, said the chief commissioner of BBMP Tushar Guru Nath. 

"There are 1400 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads in the city, 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. After issuing the notice, they will be given time till February 28 to implement Kannada language nameplates and submit compliance to the respective zone commissioners," Tushar Giri Nath said. 

"Legal action will be taken against shops that do not install Kannada nameplates by February 28. Accordingly, shop fronts that do not use Kannada language on nameplates will be suspended as per the law and then their license will be cancelled," he added. 

Why the recent protests in Karnataka require attention? 

Karnataka employs IT professionals from across India and even world as Bengaluru happens to the IT hub. The composition of Bengaluru's population has also undergone a drastic change over the past two decades, as it had moved to become India's silicon valley housing major software companies and engineering collages. 

History of language debate in Karnataka 

The recent protests in Karnataka over implementation of Kannada nameplates outside shops must not come as a surprise owing to the long-history of language debate in Karnataka. In 2017, the same Karnataka Rakshana Vedike group members had blackened the Hindi signs at various metro stations in the state. The organisation had then said that the signboards at metro station and trains shall only be in two languages- Kannada and English. 

The protest had received support from then Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah. “Signage in Hindi will be dropped from the newly built metro railway network in Karnataka,” Siddaramaiah had said over the protests.