Belagavi language dispute: Minister Ramalinga Reddy visits assaulted bus conductor

A bus conductor from the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) was assaulted following a language dispute.

Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy visited Belagavi BIMS Hospital to check on the health of Mahadevappa Hukkeri, a bus conductor from the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) who was assaulted following a language dispute.

Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy asserted that the police took swift action in the matter.

Hukkeri has been undergoing treatment at the hospital for the past three days after he and a bus driver were allegedly attacked by a group of Marathi-speaking youths, news agency ANI reported.

The incident took place near Sulebhavi on Friday around 12.30 pm after the assailants allegedly took issue with the conductor’s inability to communicate in Marathi.

Expressing strong support for the injured conductor, according to ANI, Minister Reddy stated, “Not just the Karnataka Road Transport Department, but everyone stands with the bus conductor. The POCSO case filed against him is completely bogus.”

Earlier, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patil condemned the recent assault on a KSRTC bus conductor in Belagavi, allegedly for not speaking in Marathi.

The minister described the incident, which has sparked outrage, as "unfortunate". "It is unfortunate that some incidents like these are happening. They have disturbed the society," Patil said.

He assured people that the Karnataka government would take all necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. "The government of Karnataka will make all efforts to ensure that this type of unnecessary event does not take place," he said.

Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy asserted that the police took swift action in the matter.

Reacting to the ongoing border row, the Karnataka BJP on Sunday condemned "attempts to insult Kannada and the state" and called it an "unpardonable act".

BJP state chief BY Vijayendra said that those who speak against Kannada and Karnataka cannot be forgiven. "Insulting Kannada and Karnataka that too within the state is an unpardonable crime. I noticed the statement of Pro-Kannada organisations. We Kannadigas need to raise our voice against such aggression," he told reporters.

Maharashtra-Karnataka bus services suspended

Amid the ongoing row, tnterstate bus services between Karnataka and Maharashtra remained suspended for the second day in a row on Sunday.

Belagavi divisional controller Rajesh Potdar said that Karnataka state transport buses to Maharashtra have been halted due to the “volatile situation”. The Belagavi division –– which operates around 120 buses daily from Nippani, Chikkodi, and Athani –– have suspended services to the neighbouring state since Saturday afternoon.

(With agency inputs)