The Bengaluru civic body’s latest directive, asking shops to ensure their signboards have at least 60 per cent Kannada, has brought the Hindi vs Kannada debate in Karnataka back under the spotlight. Tushar Giri Nath, chief commissioner of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, has said commercial stores in the civic body’s jurisdiction will face legal action if they fail to follow the signboard order.

The official was addressing a meeting with Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), an organisation that has been pushing the Kannada language issue. “There are 1400 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads in the city, and all the commercial shops on these roads will be surveyed zone wise. After the survey, a notice will be given to the shops that do not use 60 per cent Kannada language. After issuing the notice, they will be given time till February 28 to implement Kannada language nameplates and submit compliance to the respective zone commissioners,” Mr Nath said.

“Legal action will be taken against shops that do not install Kannada nameplates by February 28. Accordingly, shopfronts that do not use Kannada language on nameplates will be suspended as per the law and then their licence will be cancelled,” he added.

Amid the buzz over the new order, the video of a KRV supporter threatening shopkeepers has started circulating. The video shows a campaign vehicle in a narrow alley with shops on both sides. On top of it, a woman holding a microphone is threatening Marwari shopkeepers. “This is Karnataka. The Kannadigas are this state’s pride. You go and show your pride in your state. Marwaris, next time you say you do not know Kannada, you will be a target,” she says.

While most shops’ signboards had Kannada font too, some had Hindi and English fonts. The shopkeepers in the area appeared unnerved by the language diktat and the threats, even though they understand and speak Kannada.

One of them said, “If there is an order to change the signboards, we will do it. If they want 60 per cent, we will get it done.” Another echoed, “We will do as told, we cannot go against the government.”

The language row is back in focus after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said in October that “everyone living in this state should learn to speak Kannada”. “We are all Kannadigas. People speaking different languages have settled in this Kannada land since the unification of Karnataka. Everyone living in this state should learn to speak Kannada,” he had said.

“While it is impossible to exist in states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh without learning the local language, you can survive in Karnataka even if you don’t speak Kannada,” Siddaramaiah said at an event in October. “Instead of Kannadigas teaching our language to others, we are learning their language first,” he had said.

During his earlier tenure as Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah had pushed for wider use of Kannada. A government body set up to promote Kannada had then given an ultimatum to bank officials to learn Kannada within six months. It was during the Congress veteran’s last tenure that Hindi names of Bengaluru metro stations were targeted and covered with tape.

The status of what was a Nicaragua-bound Airbus A340 with 303 passengers – several of whom are Indian, 11 are unaccompanied minors and one is an infant – remains uncertain, with news agency PTI reporting this evening it remains grounded at a Paris airport over human trafficking links.

It appears many of those on board do not want to return to their respective countries of origin. There is no update yet from the Indian embassy in France; the ‘India in France’ X handle last posted on Saturday, when it said, “… continue to work with French government for the welfare of Indians currently at Varty Airport… for early resolution of the situation. Embassy consular staff stationed there…”

Continue to work with French Gov for the welfare of the Indians currently at the Varty airport, 150 km East of Paris, & for early resolution of the situation.

Embassy consular staff stationed there.

Thank French authorities for working on this through the long holiday weekend.

— India in France (@IndiaembFrance) December 23, 2023

“The situation is confusing,” Liliana Bakayoko, legal counsel for Romania’s Legend Airlines, to whom the plane is registered, told a French TV channel and radio network. “Some of the passengers were unhappy… because they wanted to continue their journey to Nicaragua as planned.”

Earlier in the day she told PTI the plane was would leave France at 10 am local time (2:30 PM IST) and land in Mumbai late Monday or early Tuesday. Shortly after that local police told a French newspaper, Le Monde, the plane would not leave “before noon (local time (4:30 PM IST))”.

Ms Bakayoko indicated then only 200-250 passengers had consented to return. These, she said, would include those who were not in police custody or had not appealed to French for asylum.

At least two passengers are among those who have not been authorised to leave and around four dozen have sought asylum. Reports indicate some of the passengers spoke Tamil, and some Hindi.

READ | Indians On Flight Grounded In France Over Trafficking Fears Questioned

The two not authorised to leave have reportedly been asked “to verify” if their role “may have been different than the others in this transport, and under what conditions and with what objectives”.

The flight – a charter service from Dubai to Nicaragua – had landed at the Vatry Airport, which is around 160 km from Paris, to refuel. It was then grounded after a tip-off that the passengers were “likely to be victims of human trafficking”.

READ | Anonymous Tip, ‘Human Trafficking’: Why France Grounded Plane With 300 Indians

Sources told news agency AFP the plane could be part of a crime syndicate trying to smuggle people into the United States via the Central American country.

France’s anti-organised crime unit, JUNALCO, is now leading investigations.

Human trafficking carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years in France.

On Sunday authorities had said the plane could leave. This was after local judges questioned all those on board. Under French law foreign nationals can be detained for extended periods on arrival.

“We are very relieved. We were impatiently waiting for this,” Ms Bakayoko had said then.

READ | Beds, Meals Provided To Indian Passengers Of Plane Grounded In France

Indian citizens on board have been given consular access, and the Indian government has said it is working with its French counterpart to resolve the situation. The passengers were provided makeshift beds, food and water, and access to toilets and showers, at the airport itself, officials said.

READ | India Says Working With France After Flight With 300 Indians Grounded

Legend Airlines has said it believes it has done nothing wrong and is ready to help the authorities with the investigation. It will also “seek damages from (the) client” who chartered its plane.

With input from agencies

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