Pro-Kannada Activists Launch Citywide Protest In Bengaluru Over Language Compliance

Earlier, Bengaluru's civic body had announced the potential suspension of licenses for shops, hotels, and malls if they did not comply with the '60% Kannada rule' on signboards by February 28, 2024. The KRV activists targeted major business hubs such as MG Road, Brigade Road, and UB City, staging rallies and engaging in acts of vandalism against commercial entities.

Protesters argued that businesses were neglecting Kannada by not adequately displaying it on signage, as required by new regulations introduced by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). Malls, shops, and multinational companies were among the affected establishments. Activists tore down English signboards and sprayed black ink over English letters, demanding greater prominence for the Kannada language.

T A Narayana Gowda, the convener of KRV, emphasized that at least 60 percent of signage must be in Kannada, in accordance with BBMP guidelines. He stated, "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," as quoted by news agency PTI.

The violent protests were eventually quelled through police intervention, including a lathi-charge and the detention of several protesters to restore order. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah warned that action would be taken against those resorting to vigilantism and taking the law into their own hands.