Will bring ordinance to make Kannada mandatory on signboards: CM Siddaramaiah

Amid vandalism in Bengaluru by a pro-Kannada outfit targeting shops that did not display Kannada signboards, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Thursday (December 28) said the government would introduce an ordinance to ensure that 60 per cent 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 February 28, 2024.

The government will also bring an amendment to section 17(6) of the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development Act (KLCDA) - 2022, which was promulgated by the previous BJP government on March 10, 2023 ahead of the assembly elections, 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.” The chief minister’s statement came in the wake of pro-Kannada organisations going on a rampage on December 27, demanding Kannada language displays on signboards, nameplates and advertisements.

Speaking about the KLCDA-2022, 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 name plates 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 March 24, 2018, which said that 60 per cent 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 February 28, 2024. All the shops, business establishments, hotels, malls and hospitals have to follow this ordinance," he added.

Siddaramaiah also issued a warning to the vandals who went on a rampage on Wednesday damaging offices, shops, business establishments and buildings in protest against nameplates and signboards not displaying information in Kannada.

"Government is not against peaceful protests at a designated place. We will not stop anyone from protesting because we believe in democracy and the Constitution, but if anyone goes against the law then the government will not tolerate it,” the chief minister said.