Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced a two-week extension to the deadline for shops to adhere to the state government’s directive of having at least 60% Kannada content in their signage. Despite the extension, Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar emphasized the government’s expectation for businesses to comply with the language regulation, stressing the significance of upholding the mother tongue. 

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The controversy surrounding the language on signboards gained prominence when the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, in December, mandated that shops within its jurisdiction display a minimum of 60% content in Kannada on their signages. Tushar Giri Nath, the chief commissioner, warned of legal actions, including fines and trade license cancellations, for those failing to comply by the end of February.

Source: The South First

The enforcement of the ‘60% Kannada’ signage rule stems from the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development (Amendment) Bill, 2024, introduced by the Siddaramaiah government. This legislation has successfully passed through the Assembly and received the Governor’s assent, making it applicable statewide.

The backdrop of this directive involves a viral video depicting leaders of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, an organization advocating for the Kannada language, threatening shopkeepers through loudspeakers. The organization asserted the pride of Kannadigas and issued warnings to those not complying with the language preference.

Source: India Today

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, advocating for linguistic unity, stated that everyone in Karnataka should learn Kannada. He compared it to other states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh, where local language proficiency is essential for survival. While acknowledging the impossibility of complete isolation for non-Kannada speakers in Karnataka.