Narayan Gowda News Today

Alarmed by brewing dissent among cadres over the parties joining hands, senior BJP and JD(S) functionaries are toying with a new strategy — that of ‘exchanging symbols’.

The Bill passed in the budget session seeks to amend the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development (Amendment) Act, 2022, which was passed in the previous BJP government

In response to pro-Kannada agitations in Bengaluru, trade activists are promoting Kannada language classes across the city. Following the state governments recent ordinance, making it mandatory for businesses to have 60% of their signboards in Kannada, approximately 70 traders in Chickpet, a hub for wholesale and retail garments, have enrolled in a free three-month Kannada course offered by the Sri Adinath Jain Swetamber Temple.

The Congress is looking to use pro-Kannada sentiment as a counter to BJP’s Hindutva agenda.

Activists of various Kannada outfits, including Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), staged a protest in Belagavi against the arrest of KRV state president TA Narayan Gowda. The protest highlighted the importance of the Kannada language and expressed anger towards the government's actions.

The dissatisfaction among KRV activists was fuelled by a recent directive from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which mandated that all commercial signboards must contain at least 60 per cent Kannada content.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Shivakumar said, “In a democracy, everyone has the right to protest. We can’t tolerate anyone taking the law into their hands. I am disturbed that they (pro-Kannada protesters) vandalised boards and establishments etc.”

The ongoing pro-Kannada protests in Bengaluru pose a growing concern for the ruling Congress. Industries minister MB Patil warned that such incidents, like the recent vandalism of business places, could impact the states competitiveness in attracting investments. Patil emphasized the need for pro-Kannada activists to consider the broader repercussions.

AAP leader Mukhyamantri Chandru claimed that the pro-Kannada fighters did nothing wrong and only did what the government should have done at the first place.

AAP leader claimed that the pro-Kannada fighters did nothing wrong and only did what the government should have done at the first place.