The Hindu

• Kannada Sahitya Parishat to hold protest against the order 

Mangalore, Dec 13: Writers and thinkers from the region have strongly criticised the order from the Railways to remove Kannada from boards on trains and platforms.

Prabhakar Joshi, eminent folk critic, said it was shocking that such an order could even be contemplated. Stern action must be taken against those responsible for planning such an action, he said at a press meet convened by the district unit of Kannada Sahitya Parishat on Tuesday.

President of the unit Pradeep Kumar Kalkura said that a massive protest would be held against the order. He said all Karnataka citizens should participate in the protest by sending messages and cards on the issue to the Railway authorities. The organisation was willing to take to the streets, if necessary, to protest against the move by the Railways, he said. If the decision was not revoked, English and Hindi boards on trains would be blackened, he added.

The Railway authorities had neglected several of the demands from the region, Mr. Kalkura said. The appeal to create a separate railway division for Mangalore and include it under the South Western Railway had not been paid heed to. There was also no response to the demand to rename Kankanady Station as `Mangalore Junction' and the main railway station as `Mangalore Central', he said. The renaming of Kankanady station was necessary, he said, so that people coming from other parts of the State and country could know that Kankanady was a part of Mangalore.