In a dramatic escalation of the language controversy in Karnataka, members of the right-wing group Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) carried out violent demonstrations across Bengaluru. The protests targeted prominent areas such as Kempegowda International Airport and bustling commercial centers like MG Road, Brigade Road, Lavelle Road, and St Marks Road. English-language signboards of businesses were vandalized by KRV activists, who claimed that such signage was undermining the official language of Karnataka, Kannada.
The Bengaluru Police responded by detaining 700 protestors, including KRV convener TA Narayana Gowda, and revealed the involvement of other pro-Kannada outfits in the acts of vandalism. Four cases have been registered against members of these pro-Kannada groups, with three cases in the North East Division and one in the Bengaluru East division.
KRV convener TA Narayana Gowda defended the protests, stating that businesses in Karnataka must adhere to the rule requiring 60% of signboards to be in Kannada. He emphasized that failure to respect the Kannada language would not be tolerated, and businesses neglecting Kannada signage would face opposition.
Videos circulated online depict instances of violence, including the tearing down of English signage at a hotel and the defacing of an Airtel store signboard. The KRV is demanding the immediate implementation of an order by the civic body, BBMP, requiring businesses to have 60% of their signs in Kannada. The BBMP chief, Tushar Giri Nath, stated that commercial stores have until February 28 to comply, or they could face legal consequences, including the suspension of business licenses.
The language row reignited after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah emphasized in October that everyone living in the state should learn to speak Kannada. The recent protests underscore the ongoing tension surrounding language preferences in Karnataka, with a historical push for the wider use of Kannada in the region.