Chief minister Siddaramaiah asked the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) on Friday to drop Hindi from its signage.
This means only Kannada and English will be on all signboards.
The chief minister has written to the Centre that the three-language format would be counterproductive, given the sentiments in the state, and that Kannada and English in signage were more practical.
Kannada activists and writers spearheading the protests welcomed the move. BMRC has been violating the state language policy since 2011and although it has taken the government so many years to act, the decision is welcome and we hope that the government ensures its implementation.
State Flag for Karnataka
The Karnataka government's move to constitute a panel to design the state flag and study its legal sanctity has triggered a row, pitching the national and regional identities against each other. While the 'Kannada flag' with its vibrant red and yellow hues has been a symbol of unity among the Kannadigas since the 1960s, the timing of such a proposal from the Congress government is being perceived with skepticism as the state is due for the assembly polls in early 2018.