The story so far
Bengaluru, a pivotal centre for IT-related services that draws professionals from various parts of the country, has long wrestled with the nuanced issue of language preference. The city’s varied linguistic environment has, at times, resulted in tensions.
Bengalureans, especially its retailers, were shocked to see mobs descend to the streets vandalising non-Kannada signboards last week. This was preceded by an announcement by the city’s civic body that all sign boards should have at least 60% Kannada and the rest in any language and set a February 28, 2024 deadline to implement the same. However, a Kannada organisation Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) took to streets to “enforce” this rule on December 27. The situation grew tense as some resorted to vandalism.
