Bangalore: No longer will stores in Bangalore scream for attention in just English. If the Kannada Development Authority (KDA) has its way, Kannada will be given equal board space.
The KDA has given a notice to all shopkeepers and businessmen that the boards should be displayed in Kannada, English and Hindi.
"It is a three language rule. Kannada is compulsory. The board must have the name in Kannada in bold. It must be prominent. If they don't follow it, then we will fine them Rs 10,000. In spite of that fine, if they don't comply, we might revoke their licenses,” says Chairperson, Kannada Development Authority, Mukhyamantri Chandru.
It is the serious penalty associated with non-compliance of the rule that is forcing acceptance into the shop owners.
"We are living in Karnataka. It is mandatory now. I think it is important that the board is in Kannada,” says a shopkeeper Farzan.
The rule about shops displaying their name in Kannada has been in existence since the last government, but lack of any serious action against defaulters led to the names in Kannada being printed in rather small font or not being printed at all.
With this new rule, Kannada might stare in your face, but whether it will actually promote the language or rather pride in it, is debatable.
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