From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network

Bengaluru, Dec 28: Karnataka will bring an ordinance making use of Kannada in name-boards of all commercial establishments in the State compulsory by February 28, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced in Bengaluru on Thursday.

Addressing the media after a meeting with BBMP and senior government as well as police officers at the Chief Minister’s home office of Krishna, he said the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development legislation of 2022, section 17(6) will be amended through an ordinance, which will mandate use of all commercial establishments and industrial undertakings as well as hospitals, laboratories, hotels or entertainment centres to use 60% of the name-board in Kannada while the rest 40% can be in any other language.

The rule will apply even public notices, advertisement or flex banners etc., which will be required to follow the 60%-40% norm for Kannada and other language signages, the Chief Minister said.

At the same time, he announced that no organisation will be allowed to flout the law or resort to violence. While there is no ban on protests or demonstrations, which is a democratic right, it is necessary that the law must be adhered to.

"Nobody will be allowed to violate the law,’’ he said making it clear that State High Court order of March 3, 2022 that all protests must be held only in the Freedom Park peacefully must be followed strictly.

The Chief Minister urged the people and all organisations to await the issuance of the ordinance and desist from resorting to violence and declared that the government was committed to maintain the primacy of Kannada and implement the order for making Kannada as the administrative language of the State.