The Karnataka Rakshna Vedike (KRV) is on the warpath again.
This time their grouch is that the Bangalore Metro is using Hindi as one of the languages of communication in its announcements and display boards. They held demonstrations on Friday in front of the BMRCL office and also demanded that Kannadigas be employed with the BMRCL and at the Metro stations.
They raised slogans and threatened a ‘rebellion’ if the BMRCL officials refused to look into their demands. Vedike spokesperson Sanneerappa said: “Most of the people working with BMRCL are not Kannadigas. This is despite the fact that 300 acres was given by Kannadigas. While the work progressed, we suffered. Why is it called Namma Metro when apart from the short ride there is nothing in it for us?”
Despite announcements and displays at the stations being made in Kannada, KRV is peeved by the fact that these were made in Hindi too. “Hindi is not our national language. There is no to speak Hindi at stations. For people who do not know Kannada, announcements are made in English, which is the accepted language of communication,” he said.
BMRCL spokesperson BL Chavan clarifying on the decision to have Hindi announcements, said that Hindi be helpful to people.
“The Union government, too, has contributed to the construction of the Metro,” he said.
However, this explanation failed to satisfy the protesters, who retorted, “The money given by the Union government is taxpayers’ money, which we have contributed to and technically, so have other states, so why is only Hindi added to the list of languages?”
The protests came to an end when Chavan promised to look into the demands of the Vedike. The protestors have given the BMRCL a week to reply to their demands.
