Several Kannada activists across the state staged a protest against the Hindi Divas observed on Tuesday. The protests included picketing of banks demanding “to stop the imposition of Hindi” and to provide services in the regional language.
“Protests were held at around 1,500 places across the state. It has been a long-standing demand that services should be provided in the regional language, especially in banks. This issue goes beyond banks but we are starting with banks because this is a concern that most people can understand,” said Arun Javagal, a Kannada activist.
Members of Kannada Rakshana Vedak, a pro-Kannada organisation, held placards in various districts, raising slogans against “imposition of Hindi”.
The protest is going to last for a week, where the workers will also meet MLAs and MPs and request them to take up the issue for discussion in Parliament and Vidhan Sabha.
“We have already met some people and in the next one week we look forward to meeting many more to take this issue seriously,” Javagal said.
There was also a protest on social media with #StopHindiImposition.
Ganesh Chetan, a Bengaluru-based language rights activist, tweeted, “Our campaign #StopHindiImposition is not a campaign against Hindi as a language or Hindi speaking people, but against the Indian government’s policies to impose Hindi.”
our campaign #StopHindiImposition Not a campaign against Hindi as a language or against Hindi speaking people but against the policies of the Indian government to impose Hindi. – Ganesh Chetan (@ganeshchetan) September 14, 2021
Former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy also took to Twitter to object to the celebration of Hindi Divas.
“Kannada is a priority on our land. Celebrating Hindi Divas is unnecessary. Don’t let the imposition of Hindi disturb the peace of multilingual India,” tweeted Kumaraswamy.
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