60% Kannada in signboards: Maharashtra may approach Supreme Court against bill

The contention of the Maharashtra government and MES is that since the interstate border dispute is before the apex court, the Karnataka government could not implement the Bill in disputed areas, mainly in four border districts of Karnataka.

While the Maharashtra government is taking necessary steps to build a strong case before the Supreme Court on the interstate border dispute, the Karnataka government has not chaired a single meeting on the interstate border disputes since it assumed power on 20 May, 2023.

The Kannada Language Comprehensive Development (Amendment) Bill, 2024 mandates all commercial establishments to have Kannada on 60 percent space of their signboards.

Meanwhile, Belagavi District Kannada Organisations Action Committee President Ashok Chandaragi cautioned the Karnataka government over these developments and urged them to act swiftly.

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Maharashtra government likely to appeal

The passage of the Bill sparked tension among MES workers and the Maharashtra government who expressed sharp reactions on it.

Maharashtra is considering appealing against the Bill before the Supreme Court, citing ongoing interstate border disputes between the two states.

The neighbouring state is likely to legally object to the implementation of The Kannada Language Comprehensive Development (Amendment) Bill, 2024 in Karwar, Belagavi, Bidar and Kalaburagi districts.

The deliberations about going to appeal against mandating 60 percent Kannada on signboards of commercial establishments were made by the Maharashtra government in the high-level committee meeting held in Mumbai on Wednesday.

An MES leader who participated in the meeting in Mumbai told South First: “Border-in-charge minister Shamburaj Desai chaired a high-level committee meeting on the Karnataka-Maharashtra interstate border disputes. The deliberations were held on various issues including filing an appeal against the Kannada bill.”

“However, the committee decided to appeal against the Bill only after it was implemented in Karnataka. The Bill was passed by the Karnataka Legislative Council on Tuesday itself. The Maharashtra government opposes the implementation of this Bill in four districts of Karnataka as these regions fall under disputed areas.”

“It has not yet been decided on whether to file a separate plea or add supplementary to the existing interstate border dispute case. The neighbouring state is not opposing the Kannada Bill but it is all likely to appeal against its implementation in the disputed four districts of Karnataka,” elaborated MES leader.

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‘Not against Kannada or Karnataka government’

An MES leader from Belagavi also reiterated that they were not against the implementation of the Bill but enforcing it on the Marathi-speaking population in the border districts.

The Belagavi MES leader told South First: “We have no objection to the Karnataka government bringing a law making it mandatory for all the shops to put up 60 percent Kannada in signboards. They can be implemented anywhere in Karnataka but not in border areas.”

“In these border areas, which are attached to Maharashtra, at least 50 percent of the Karnataka population are Marathi-speaking. If Kannada is made mandatory, then what about Marathi and its people? This law will not work well in Belagavi and surrounding border areas,” added the MES leader.

He further said: “As soon as we learned that the Karnataka government is planning to table the Bill related to it in the House in the ongoing budget session, we met CM Eknath Shinde at Kolhapur. We detailed him about this and he asked us to turn up for the high-level committee meeting.”

“As decided, the meeting was held under the chairmanship of Minister Shamburaj Desai. The deliberations were made about this. The final decision on filing an appeal against this will be taken only after the law is implemented. Until then no initiative will be taken,” added the MES leader.

He also lashed out at both the BJP and the Congress leaders for utilising Marathi-speaking people for electoral gains.

“Both the national party leaders lure our community voters during the elections. But they are least bothered to address our concerns. They just use us as their vote bank. We will also counter them by contesting independently in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Belagavi,” said the MES leader.