Several Kannada activists across the state protested against the Hindi Diwas observed on Tuesday. The protests included picketing banks demanding to “stop Hindi imposition” and the services be provided in regional language.
“The protests were held in around 1,500 spots across the State. It is a long-time demand that services be offered in the regional language, especially in banks. The issue goes beyond banks but we are beginning with banks because that’s a concern that most people can understand,” said Kannada activist Arun Javagal.
Members of the Kannada Rakshana Vedike, a pro-Kannada organisation, held protests in different districts holding placards, raising slogans against “Hindi imposition”.
The protest is scheduled to go on for a week where the activists would also meet MLAs and MPs submitting representations and requesting them to take up the issue for discussion in Parliament and Assembly.
“We have already met a few and over the next one week we hope to meet many more to take this issue up seriously,” said Javagal.
The protest was also held on social media with #StopHindiImposition.
“Our campaign #StopHindiImposition is not a campaign against Hindi as a language or Hindi speaking people but against the Hindi imposition policies of the Government of India,” tweeted Ganesh Chetan, a language rights activist based in Bengaluru.
Our campaign #StopHindiImposition is not a campaign against Hindi as a language or against Hindi speaking people but against the Hindi imposition policies of the Government of India.— Ganesh Chetan (@ganeshchetan) September 14, 2021
Former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy also took to Twitter to raise objections over-celebrating Hindi divas.
“Kannada is the priority on our land. It is unnecessary to celebrate Hindi Divas. Let Hindi imposition not ruin the peace of multilingual India,” Kumaraswamy tweeted.
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