The Karnataka Development Authority has sought a reply from the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) for the objection against the implementation of Hindi language in Metro Stations within seven days.
The chairman of authority in a letter to BMRCL wrote, the display of signs in Hindi is unnecessary and also violates the state government’s notification (dated 2008) and two circulars (dated 1982 and 1993). He also added that the authority is empowered to take action against the department and its officers if they do not ensure implementation of Kannada language in the administrative sphere.
A campaign has been running on social media with the tag #NammaMetroHindiBeda, urging BMRCL to remove Hindi from the signs boards. Under this hashtag, someone tweeted harshly “Do you find Kannada boards in Delhi Metro”?
When the project was launched in MG Road in 2007, people fought as Hindi was written on the models. People wondered why Hindi is given such preference when only a few people in Bengaluru know Hindi. People also wondered as no other central government-funded projects display Hindi except the Metro.