Minister Shivraj Thangadgi orders strict rules for 60% Kannada usage on nameplates
Bengaluru: Kannada and Culture and Backward Classes Welfare Minister Shivraj S. Thangadgi has directed officials to finalize strict rules to ensure that 60% of all nameplates in businesses, educational institutions, and shops across Karnataka are in Kannada.
The minister issued this instruction during a meeting at Vikas Soudha on Thursday with officials from the Kannada Development Authority, Industries Department, Home Department, Law Department, School Education Department, and Rural Development Department.
He emphasized the proper implementation of the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development (Amendment) Bill, stating that many places are not following the rule of using 60% Kannada on nameplates. He urged officials to take strict action and finalize the necessary rules and regulations as soon as possible.
During the meeting, the Minister also discussed forming a special task force, including police personnel, to oversee the enforcement of the rule. Officials suggested using awareness vehicles in BBMP zones and launching a statewide campaign to inform the public about the requirement. Additionally, a proposal was made to form committees at the gram panchayat level to ensure effective implementation of the bill.
The meeting was attended by Kannada Development Authority President Purushottam Bilimale, Kannada and Culture Department Secretary Dr. N. Manjula, Director Dr. K. Dharanidevi Malagatti, Kannada Development Authority Secretary Dr. Santosh Hanagal, and several officials from the Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Law, Industries, and Labor Departments.
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Congress using hijab issue to pacify minority anger, alleges Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.
Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.
He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.
Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.
He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.
Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.
He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.
