No one should take law into their hands: Deputy CM to pro-Kannada groups on 60:40 signboard rule

BENGALURU: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday warned pro-Kannada activists that they should not take the law into their own hands for implementing the 60:40 rule for the use of Kannada on signboards. “60:40 signboards are mandatory. The government is committed to implementing it”, he told reporters here.

“We allowed time because the manufacturing of the signboards was taking a lot of time. But I don’t want pro-Kannada activists to take the law into their own hands on this issue”, he added. The deadline for complying with the rule ended on Wednesday. The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has said that the rule has already seen 98 per cent implementation.

Earlier, Shivakumar orally announced the extension by two weeks of the previous deadline of February 28. His announcement came after BBMP started to shut down shops for non-compliance. Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) spearheaded the campaign for Kannada signboards in December 2023, which degenerated into vandalism on December 27 in the city.

The Commercial Street Shop Owners’ Association said that in Commercial Street, about 90 pc of shopkeepers have complied with the law. However, they expressed apprehension in forced implementation of the rule.

Meanwhile, Shivakumar assured Bengaluru’s citizens that there is no water crisis in the city as the government had made alternate arrangements. “As far as Bengaluru is concerned, there is no water crisis. We have made alternative arrangements. BJP is saying that we are releasing water to Tamil Nadu. This is absolutely false. I appeal to the PM and BJP MPs that we get permission for the Mekadattu dam”, he said.

Earlier, the BJP had accused the state Congress government of knowing well in advance about the looming water crisis in Bengaluru, but acting against the interests of the people by releasing water to Tamil Nadu only to please its alliance partner. (ANI)