Karnataka assembly passes bill for 60% Kannada on signboards
The Kannada Language Comprehensive Development (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which seeks to amend the 2022 Act, was tabled in the House during the budget session.
The Karnataka Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed a bill mandating 60% use of Kannada in signboards of businesses and establishments across the state, with the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government asserting that non-compliance would lead to cancellation of licences.
The Kannada Language Comprehensive Development (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which seeks to amend the 2022 Act, was tabled in the House during the ongoing budget session. It was passed by voice vote on Wednesday and will now be sent to Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot for his assent.
Moving the bill for the consideration of the House, Kannada and culture minister Shivaraj Tangadagi said the government is framing rules to enforce the law.
“In the rules, we will provide for cancellation of licences. Only when licences are cancelled will businesses and establishments feel the pinch. At the time of issuing fresh licences or renewing existing licences, we will first ensure that they have complied with the rules on using Kannada in (name) boards,” Tangadagi said.
According to the statement of objects and reasons of the bill, Kannada shall be displayed in the upper half of the sign board, occupying 60% of the space on name boards. It covers various sectors such as commercial, industrial, and business establishments, trusts, counselling centres, hospitals, laboratories, amusement centres, and hotels, functioning with the approval and sanction of the state government or local authorities.
The legislation also proposes amendments to appoint the director of the Directorate of Kannada and Culture as a member, and the secretary of the Kannada Development Authority as the convener of a “State Level Committee”. This committee will serve as an enforcement authority responsible for implementing the use of the official language.
Tangadagi said the government would insert rules on the imposition of fines for violations, and form task forces and an enforcement wing comprising police personnel, in every district, to ensure compliance.
Tangadagi acknowledged that the problem of Kannada not being used on signboards exists primarily in Bengaluru and announced the formation of committees in all eight municipal zones of the city to address complaints. “These committees will receive complaints. We are also coming out with an app called ‘Kangavalu’ for this,” he said.
On January 5, the state cabinet led by chief minister Siddaramaiah gave its approval to an ordinance to amend the 2022 Act to enforce mandatory 60% use of the Kannada language in signages. The decision to take the ordinance route had come in the wake of violent demonstrations by pro-Kannada groups, who targeted business establishments in Bengaluru for allegedly neglecting the state language.
Governor Gehlot, however, returned the ordinance, advising the state to present it as a bill before the state legislature for approval.
On December 27 last year, a group of pro-Kannada activists vandalised several business establishments across Bengaluru, demanding 60% Kannada usage on signboards. In response, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, the city’s civic body, initiated a drive to enforce the 60% Kannada rule for name boards.
Around 34,000 notices have been issued to businesses over non-compliance so far, with the civic body setting February 28 as deadline for compliance.
In the assembly on Thursday, Leader of Opposition R Ashoka stressed on the need to impose fines in case of violations. “Even if you make it 80% use of Kannada, we will support it. But what we pass should not remain only as an Act. Impose hefty fines, it’s the only thing that will work. Otherwise, businesses and establishments won’t care,” he said.
Senior BJP MLA S Suresh Kumar remarked that having to enact a law for Kannada was in itself painful. “Why have people taken this for granted? If people who do businesses here don’t want to use Kannada, it shows a bad mindset... People have no love for Bengaluru. They don’t think it’s their city. But their customers are Kannadigas,” he said. The budget session of the Karnataka Legislature, which began on Monday, is scheduled to end on February 23.
