BENGALURU: High drama prevailed on Mysuru Road and in RR Nagar on Sunday, after several pro-Kannada activists, including Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, tried to remove and vandalise welcome banners put up for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as they were in Hindi. The agitators alleged that the BJP government is supporting Hindi by putting up such banners.
A senior police officer said that more than 500 persons belonging to pro-Kannada organisations went to RR Nagar, Vijayanagar and Mysuru Road and tried to remove the banners. Vijayanagar and RR Nagar police detained them and sent them back, as tension gripped the area.
Praveen Shetty, president of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, told The New Indian Express that the BJP government is insulting Kannada by putting up welcome banners in Hindi. “We will never tolerate this attitude by the government. We won’t allow only Hindi boards in and around the city. Police took our activists and members to the police station, but we will not stop our fight,” he said.
Meanwhile, heavy police security was deployed on Mysuru Road following the incident, and security was tightened at venues where Modi’s events are scheduled. Sannerappa, a KRV activist, said they have no problems with English banners. “Had the banners been in Kannada and English, it was fine. Only Hindi is not acceptable,”
he said, alleging that the banners were put up by minister Muniratna, who has been selected by Kannadigas. “It’s a federal system and all languages should be given equal importance,” he stated.