Karnataka Bandh: pro-Kannada organization call for bandh on March 22

Karnataka bandh: The pro-Kannada organization ‘Kannada Union’ has called a Karnataka bandh on March 22 to protest against the attack on a government bus conductor in Belagavi, a border district of Maharashtra, because he did not speak Marathi.

Kannada activist and Kannada union leader Vatal Nagaraj, who has called for a bandh, condemned the incident and demanded that various organizations including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should support the protest.

The issue has raised tensions over language and identity in the region, with Kannada activists demanding stronger action to protect Kannada-speaking citizens. “There will be a bandh across Karnataka from 6 am to 6 pm on March 22. Who supports the bandh or not, we will see later… This bandh is for this state, Kannada, Kannadigas and Karnataka…

This is the pride of Kannada and Karnataka,” said Vatal Nagaraj. Addressing reporters here after the union meeting, he gave an open call to all organizations and leaders to participate in the bandh.He also appealed to the CM and the government to support the bandh.

Also, Nagaraj requested Transport Minister Ramalingareddy to suspend all bus services in the state on March 22. He called upon the hotel owners’ association and the film industry to support the one-day bandh. According to Nagaraj, several malls have already extended support.

He appealed to support government employees and trade unions, farmers’ associations, lorry owners, taxis and private schools. A group of Marathi-speaking youths allegedly assaulted a government bus conductor for not speaking the language while on duty.

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The incident took place last week when the bus was traveling from Belgaum to Balekundri. Following this, inter-state bus services between Maharashtra and Karnataka were suspended, exacerbating the decades-old border and language dispute between the two states.