"Govt is not against pro-Kannada protesters, but vandalism is not accepted": Karnataka Dy CM Shivakumar

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 28 : Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress Chief DK Shivakumar said that everyone has a right to protest in a democracy but taking law into one's own hands can't be tolerated after pro-Kannada protesters went on a rampage in Bengaluru.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Shivakumar said, "In a democracy, everyone has the right to protest. We can't tolerate anyone taking the law into their hands. I am disturbed that they (pro-Kannada protesters) vandalised boards and establishments etc."
The protesters can stage protests and raise slogans but damaging property is not acceptable, the Congress leader asserted.
He also urged the businesses to obey the government's order of displaying 60 per cent Kannada on their signboards.
"We are committed to protecting the citizens of the state," he added.
Shivakumar also said that all shops should follow the recent BBMP order, where the civic body directed the shops to prioritize Kannada on signage boards.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is holding a high-level meeting over the forced installation of Kannada signboards at shops and offices.
Officials of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), the primary civic body in the city, and the state Culture Department are also present in the meeting, according to sources.
Earlier, on Wednesday, the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) expressed concern over the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) directions for inscribing '60 per cent Kannada' letters on all name boards for commercial establishments.
The FKCCI, while reiterating that it will always follow the rules of the government, stated that it will also instruct its members to adhere to the orders of the state or BBMP.
However, the FKCCI also urged the state government not to initiate any action under the above rule until the deadline of February 28, next year.
Bengaluru Police, on Wednesday, detained the members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), a pro-Kannada activist group, who staged a protest in Bengaluru demanding that all businesses and enterprises in Karnataka put up boards in Kannada at their shops and commercial establishments in keeping with the state's obligation that 60 per cent of them are in Kannada.
The public awareness protest was held under the leadership of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike State President T A Narayan Gowda.
It has also come to the fore that the KRV activists also vandalised shops that had signboards in English letters. The members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike also broke flower pots outside the Mall of Asia in Bangalore, broke signboards in English and sprayed black ink on them, officials said earlier.