Ordinance on Kannada signboard soon: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: A day after Kannada activists targeted several business establishments in Bengaluru for not following the government directive to use Kannada in signboards, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the government is not against peaceful protests but he wants peace and harmony. Will not tolerate anyone who creates trouble. Addressing reporters after holding a meeting with Home Minister G Parameshwara and officials to review the situation, the CM said Section 17 (6) of the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act 2022 will be made mandatory for all shops and other businesses. Will be amended through an ordinance. From February 28, signboards of establishments will have 60% Kannada language. He said that the law will be strictly implemented. Currently, as per the Act, the top half of the signboard must be in Kannada and the rest in other languages. In a circular issued on March 24, 2018 (when Congress was in power), all establishments were directed to have 60% Kannada in signboards. But it was changed in the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act 2022, the CM said. “I have directed the Kannada and Culture Department to issue an ordinance to amend Section 17 (6) of the Act as the Assembly session is not going on,” the CM said. CM said, notification on signboard law will be issued soon “We have now decided that it should be 60% in Kannada and 40% in other languages. Siddaramaiah said, “I have directed the Kannada and Culture Department to issue an ordinance to amend Section 17 (6) of the Act as the Assembly session is not going on.” According to Section 17(8) of the Act, a specified percentage of the content on all boards displaying advertisements and notices in the state must be in Kannada. The classification of advertisements and the percentage of advertising material to be displayed in Kannada will be determined by the State Government. CM said, this will also be implemented. He said that immediate action would be taken to issue notification of this Act and make rules. Siddaramaiah said the government is not against peaceful protests and believes in democracy and the Constitution. “I want to make it clear that the government will not tolerate anyone going against the law of the country. No one should take law into their own hands. It is the responsibility of the government to maintain law and order.” On Thursday, members of Kannada Raksha Vedike demonstrated at several places in the state against the arrest of Kannada activists. 29 KRV activists, including its chief Narayana Gowda, have been arrested and sent to judicial custody for vandalizing properties during Wednesday’s protests in Bengaluru.