Protest outside Bengaluru's Majestic railway station today over ‘no Kannada’ in RRB exam

Bengaluru: The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) has called for protests in front of railway stations in Bengaluru, Hubballi and Mysuru against the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) conducting the March 17 exam for the Goods Train Manager post only in English and Hindi, instead of Kannada.

"We have informed the police about the protest scheduled for Tuesday morning. However, the department has directed us to hold it at Freedom Park. Even if we are arrested, we will protest in front of the KSR Bengaluru City Railway Station. We will not allow the exam to be conducted,” KRV state president TA Narayana Gowda said at a press conference on Monday.

The Cottonpet police station issued a notice to Gowda, warning that according to a High Court order, protests in Bengaluru are permitted only at Freedom Park. Police said demonstrators can stage protests at Freedom Park after obtaining permission, but legal action will be taken if they gather near railway stations in violation of the order.

Gowda said that during the recruitment to over 4,000 Group ‘D’ posts in 2008, attempts were made to fill all the posts with candidates from Bihar, which was stopped following protests.

“We have been demanding that railway exams be conducted in Kannada as well. Officials give assurances, but later conduct the exams only in Hindi with the intention of imposing the language. When we question Union Minister of State for Railways V Somanna, he expresses helplessness,” he said.

Gowda demanded that Union Ministers HD Kumaraswamy, Pralhad Joshi, Shobha Karandlaje and Somanna resign and stand with the people of Karnataka over the “injustice” to Kannadigas.

“Even MPs are not raising their voices. If such injustice had happened in Tamil Nadu, public representatives would not have remained silent,” he added.