Karnataka government tables bill mandating 60% Kannada on signboards

The Karnataka government on Tuesday tabled the Bill mandating the 60% use of Kannada on business’ sign boards in the Legislative Assembly, two weeks after Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot returned an ordinance to the same effect.

Kannada shall be displayed in the upper half of the name board, according to the Bill. It would be amending the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act 2022.

The Congress regime had opted to go the ordinance route in order to mollify the proKannada protests searing the state over the issue. In December last year, civic body Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had issued a notice that all businesses’ nameplates need to be at least 60% in Kannada by the end of February, under threat of losing their licenses. The government had come out in support, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah insisting on strict compliance with the policy on use of local language on sign boards as well. Protests on the issue however, turned violent, with proKannada activists vandalising malls and blackening Hindi and English signs on prominent outlets like Starbucks, Third Wave Coffee, Theobroma, and House of Masaba. The government was forced into damage control mode with industries minister MB Patil issuing a warning, saying that such actions damaged the state’s reputation as an investorfriendly place.

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