The linguistic dispute in Karnataka escalated sharply on Wednesday after pro-Kannada teams staged violent protests in varied elements of the state capital Bengaluru, together with the Kempegowda Worldwide Airport.
Protests additionally occurred outdoors a lodge. The video confirmed ladies and men, some carrying yellow and crimson scarves (the colours of the Kannada flag), storming the courtyard and tearing down English banners.
One video confirmed a person attacking the English signal of a salon and spa, as truckloads of males carrying crimson and yellow scarves handed by. In one other picture, males wave crimson and yellow flags and protest outdoors an Airtel retailer; One of many males defaces the signal by spraying black paint on the shop\’s crimson signal written in English.
The protesters had been demanding fast implementation of the town civic physique\’s order, which directs all companies to place up 60 per cent of their signboards in Kannada. The order got here after a gathering with Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, which is seen by some as a right-wing group advocating the linguistic dispute.
Police later arrested a number of protesters.
Learn | Bengaluru shops get \’60% Kannada\’ order, with deal with Karnataka language class
Business retailers underneath the civic physique\’s jurisdiction have till February 28 to conform, and if they\’re unable to take action they could face authorized motion, together with suspension of enterprise licences, BBMP chief Tushar Giri Nath stated.
The language dispute returned to the highlight after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated in October that \”each individual residing on this state ought to study to talk Kannada.\” \”We\’re all Kannadigas. Individuals who communicate totally different languages have settled right here (and) each individual residing on this state ought to study to talk Kannada.\”
Learn | “Everybody in Karnataka ought to study to talk Kannada”: Siddaramaiah
In his earlier time period too, Mr. Siddaramaiah pushed for wider use of the native language, and in his earlier time period the Hindi names of Bengaluru Metro stations had been focused and lined with tape.
(Tags for translation)Kannada language