KDA chief asks Palike to ensure Kannada on shop boards

The Kannada Development Authority (KDA) has directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to ensure that shops and commercial establishments display their name plates in Kannada. KDA has asked the BBMP to implement this within a fortnight.

Amid an uproar over inclusion of Hindi in Namma Metro trains and stations, KDA chairman S G Siddaramaiah held a meeting with BBMP officials and directed them to ensure that Kannada is used in the display boards of shops and commercial buildings in the city. Siddaramaiah said it was disheartening to know that Basavanagudi Road is popularly known as Bull Temple Road in English. He expressed his worry over the plight of Kannada if the same trend continued. BBMP commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad told the KDA chairman that he would take up the issue in the BBMP Council and initiate measures to retain Kannada language and culture.

The KDA chairman emphasised that Kannada will thrive in the city if the commissioner takes proper action. He also suggested to the commissioner to implement Dr Sarojini Mahishi report which allows nameplates to have 60% Kannada and 40% of other languages. Members of KDA Dr Siddalingaiah and Prof Chandrashekar Patil were also present during the meeting.