He also issued a warning against taking the law into one's hands, saying anyone can protest but not by damaging government or public property.
Published Dec 28, 2023 | 7:56 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 28, 2023 | 8:19 PM
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. (Siddaramaiah.Official/Facebook)
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday, 28 December, said the government would introduce an ordinance to ensure that 60 percent of space on signboards and nameplates is dedicated to Kannada, with the rest left to any other language. The ordinance will come into effect on 28 February, 2024.
Siddaramaiah also issued a warning against taking the law into one’s own hands, saying anyone can protest but no one should cause damage to the government or public property.
He was reacting to the large-scale vandalism in Bengaluru on Wednesday by activists of the pro-
Kannada outfit Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (the TA Narayana Gowda faction) on shops and business establishments which did not display Kannada signboards, advertisements and nameplates.
The KRV is seeking 60 percent space on signboards for Kannada displays.
ಸುಗ್ರೀವಾಜ್ಞೆ ಹೊರಡಿಸಿ, ಕನ್ನಡ ಭಾಷಾ ಸಮಗ್ರ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಅಧಿನಿಯಮ 2022ರ ಸೆಕ್ಷನ್ 17 (6)ಕ್ಕೆ ತಿದ್ದುಪಡಿ ತಂದು 2024ರ ಫೆಬ್ರವರಿ 28ರೊಳಗೆ ವಾಣಿಜ್ಯ ಮಳಿಗೆಗಳು ಅನುಷ್ಠಾನಗೊಳಿಸಲು ಗಡುವು ನೀಡಲಾಗುವುದು.
ಕಾಯ್ದೆ ಜಾರಿ ಮಾಡುತ್ತೇವೆ. ಅಲ್ಲಿವರೆಗೆ ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಶಾಂತಿಯುತವಾಗಿ ಕಾನೂನು ಸುವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆ ಕಾಪಾಡುವ ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡಬೇಕು ಎಂದು ಮನವಿ…— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) December 28, 2023
The government will also bring an amendment to Section 17(6) of the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act (KLCDA) of 2022, which was promulgated by the previous BJP government on 10 March, ahead of the Assembly elections in the state, he said.
Addressing reporters after a meeting with the officials of the Kannada and Culture Department and Bengaluru civic agencies, he said, “People have to follow rules and if someone ignores them, then they will face the consequences. This I am making clear to everyone. I appeal to all the organisations and the activists not to take the law into their own hands.”
Speaking about the KLCDA, the chief minister said Section 17 (6) of the Act says that commercial, industrial or business organisations, institutions, hospitals, laboratories, entertainment centres, hotels etc should allocate half of the space on signboards and nameplates to information in Kannada, with the consent of either government or the local representatives. The rest of the portion can be in any other language.
However, he said that in his previous stint as chief minister, he had issued a circular on 24 March, 2018, which said that 60 percent of the space on nameplates and signboards should be in Kannada.
“Today we decided that the signboards and name plates should be 60:40 as per the previous circular. We will bring an amendment to section 17(6) of the said Act, which was introduced by the Kannada and Culture Department,” he said.
“I have asked the officials to bring an ordinance because the assembly is not in session. The ordinance will come into effect on 28 February, 2024. All the shops, business establishments, hotels, malls and hospitals have to follow this ordinance,” he added.
Meanwhile, a magistrate court in Bengaluru on Thursday sent over 53 Kannada activists — including Karnataka Rakshana Vedike state president TA Narayana Gowda — arrested following Wednesday’s vandalism, to 14 days’ judicial custody till 10 January. They have been lodged at the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail.
The police also took more than 1,000 people into preventive custody.
Condemning the vandalism, Siddaramaiah said, “We are not opposed to protests. We will not oppose anyone who raises their voice against injustice or seek justice, but will take action against those who take the law into their hands.”
Speaking to reporters, he said he has called a meeting of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike and police officials with the home minister to discuss the implementation of rules regarding Kannada displays on signboards.
“Kannada boards are a must. This is Kannada nadu and the boards should be in Kannada here. We are not opposed to other languages, but Kannada should be prominent,” he added.
Asked if the government would withdraw cases against the pro-Kannada activists, the chief minister reiterated that no one should take the law into their hands and the government is not opposed to peaceful protests.
To a question on Kannada activists accusing the government of taking action against those fighting for the Kannada cause, and that they would teach Congress a lesson in the Lok Sabha polls, he said, “We have not stopped them from protesting, but we have taken action against those who have taken the law into their hands… Election thing, let’s see when it comes; the government is here to maintain law and order.”
Stating that one’s conduct or behaviour should not disturb or harm others, the chief minister said, “Anyone can protest, but no one should cause damage to government or public property and take the law into one’s own hands.”
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara reiterated that the government would not allow anyone to take the law into their own hands in the state in the name of fighting for the Kannada language.
“We are not against the pro-Kannada activists but they should not take the law into their own hands. We are not ready to accept the damage caused to properties in Bengaluru,” Shivakumar told reporters.
“We have to save Kannada and we respect those who fight for saving Kannada but that does not mean that the government will shut its eyes to vandalism,” he added.
The deputy chief minister said the government directions are clear that signboards, advertisements and name plates should allocate 60 percent space to Kannada, and that there is a way to implement it such as issuing notices to those violating this norm.
The protesters can stage protests and raise slogans but damaging property is not acceptable, he said.
Reacting to Narayana Gowda’s warning, Shivakumar said they are free to do whatever they want democratically but vandalism will not be accepted.
“Investors have come here from different parts of the world. People are living here to make their livelihood. They should not be threatened,” he added.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner D Dayananda said 53 Kannada activists including Karnataka Rakshana Vedike president TA Narayana Gowda were arrested and that over 1,000 activists of the KRV who went on a rampage across Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka were put into preventive custody.
The police have registered 10 FIRs against the vandals, he added.
Gowda was arrested along with some of his aides in Yelahanka. On Thursday at around 5 AM, he was produced before a magistrate at his residence in Devanahalli who ordered that the arrested persons be placed in judicial custody, police sources said.
The allegations include assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of duty, wrongful restraint, mischief, causing danger, obstruction or injury to any person and disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant.
After their detention on Wednesday evening, Gowda and others were kept at the Police Driving and Maintainance School in Yelahanka before being taken for medical examination and being produced before the magistrate.
(With PTI inputs)
