Then “Kannada Will Become Sovereign”

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has announced that all cases filed against pro-Kannada activists, who were involved in protests over alleged violations of language norms by businesses, will be withdrawn. The announcement came during a ceremony to unveil a monumental statue of Goddess Bhuvaneshwari, which stands tall at the Vidhana Soudha premises in Bengaluru. The 25-foot-tall bronze statue, which cost approximately Rs 21.24 crore to sculpt, is a tribute to Karnataka's identity and culture. Including its pedestal, the statue reaches a towering height of 41 feet and weighs about 31.5 tonnes.

Language and Culture Must Thrive in Karnataka

While addressing the gathering at the unveiling ceremony, Siddaramaiah spoke beautifully about the importance of preserving and promoting the Kannada language. “Instead of speaking incorrectly in other languages, we should speak our own language. In all our neighboring states, the language spoken by the people of the respective state is sovereign. This should be practiced here, too,” the Chief Minister stated.

While speaking at the event, although he acknowledged that one must love and embrace all languages, the CM said, in Karnataka, Kannadigas should follow the culture of speaking and interacting with “their brothers and other speakers” in Kannada. "Only then will Kannada become the sovereign language,” he added.

Pro-Kannada Protests and Language Norms

The protests by pro-Kannada activists in 2023 had targeted business establishments that did not display Kannada signboards, advertisements, or nameplates. These protests were part of a larger movement to ensure businesses adhered to the state’s rule that mandates 60 percent of nameplates be in Kannada. In response to these protests, several cases were registered against the activists.

With the announcement to withdraw these cases, the CM is attempting to strike a balance between upholding the language norms and ensuring that the protests, which were often intense, do not escalate further.will Karnataka change ??