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Karnataka Rakshana Vedike

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Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) (Kannada: ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ರಕ್ಷಣಾ ವೇದಿಕೆ), loosely translated as Karnataka Protection Forum, is a pro-Kannada [1][2] organization located in the state of Karnataka, India.

History

Karnataka Rakshana Vedike was founded by T. A. Narayana Gowda together with Janagere Venkataramaiah, in the Kannada Chaluvali vacuum that existed after the death of A N Krishna Rao. Gowda is the current President of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike.[3].

See also: Narayana Gowda.

Geographical presence and membership

The organization states that it has 6900 branches, and is active in all the 29 districts of Karnataka. It also claims to have an estimated 16 lakh volunteers on its rolls[3].

Agitations

Belgaum border dispute

See also: Belgaum border dispute

On Nov 11, 2005, KRV activists resorted to daubing Belgaum Mayor Vijay More (and later surrendered to the police[4]) in the wake of the Belgaum corporation (BCC) passing an illegal resolution[5][6]to include the district in Maharashtra, a neighbouring state.

The Vedike states that it is not against the Marathi people, and that its opposition is limited to the Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti, which it alleges, is run by a "few individuals with vested political and commercial interests".[7]

Kaveri dispute

See also: Kaveri River Water Dispute

Within 20 minutes of the release of the Kaveri Tribunal Award, the Vedike called for a total bandh of Karnataka. According to the Vedike, the aim of the bandh was to make the Centre and the common man realize that the award was not fair to Karnataka. The bandh - originally scheduled for 8 Feb 2007, ultimately happened on 12 February 2007[8]. The bundh was successful in all the districts of Karnataka[9][10][11].

On 4 May 2007, about 20,000 activists of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (coming from all the 28 districts of Karnataka) and other organizations like the Karnataka Raita Sangha protested in New Delhi against the gazetting of the Kaveri Water Disputes Tribunal Award of 2007. The Vedike presented a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh [12], alleging that Karnataka has been always sidelined in this issue because of the high-handedness of the British (who were ruling over the Madras Presidency) over the Maharaja of Mysore, and explaining how to stop this alleged injustice.

Hogenakal project

In March 2008, Tamil Nadu chief minister M. Karunanidhi flagged off a water supply and electricity generation project at Hogenakal without the consent of Karnataka and without disclosing the details of the project, claiming that Hogenakal belongs to Tamil Nadu and that the project was going to utilize only the water from the share allotted to Tamil Nadu by the Kaveri River Water Tribunal. However, since the Tribunal verdict was still sub judice in the Supreme Court of India, Tamil Nadu had no locus standi in the matter. Memoranda submitted by the Vedike to the Central Government as well as the Governor of Karnataka failed to excite any action on their part. [13] The Vedike protested against the project, after having been provoked by the inflammatory remarks made by M. Karunanidhi (the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu) as well as Tamil film actor Rajnikanth.[14]. The Vedike called for a Karnataka Bundh as well as shutting down all Tamil TV channels as well as cinema screenings in Bengaluru to register its protest. On 5th April 2008, amidst widespread protests by the Vedike as well as a discussion between former Karnataka chief minister S. M. Krishna, M. Karunanidhi offered to withdrew the flagging off of the project until after a popular government is installed in Karnataka. Following this, the Vedike withdrew the Bundh call but continued to oppose the screening of Tamil movies as well as Tamil TV channels.

Jobs for Kannadigas

According to the Vedike, Kannadigas are being denied jobs in central govt. institutions as well as multi-national companies in Karnataka due to internal favouritism and subsequent non-compliance to the Sarojini Mahishi Report [clarification needed]. KRV continues to protest against the non-implementation of the Mahishi Report[15][16].

Kannada's supremacy in Karnataka

Protest against sidelining of Kannada on signboards

KRV has vehemently opposed what it calls as the imposition of English in Karnataka. There have been many incidents of the Vedike activists blackening English signboards in Karnataka (especially Bangalore) as protest against the non-conformance of commercial establishments with the Govt. of Karnataka rule that all signboards in Karnataka need to have[citation needed] Kannada more prominent than any other language, if any[17][18].

Protest against Hindi imposition

In 2006, the Vedike held the "Anti Hindi-imposition conference" at Yavanika, Bengalooru, on September 14, which is celebrated as Hindi Divas ("Hindi Day") in the Central government institutions in India. The aim of the conference was to discuss plans for countering what the Vedike calls as the imposition of Hindi on Kannadigas and the Central Government's Rajbhasha policy.

The conference was attended by K. Rajkumar, Ashok Doddameti, and chaired by T. A. Narayana Gowda. According to the Vedike, Hindi is being imposed on Kannadigas through the Administrative System, the Education System, and Media and Entertainment, because of which Kannadigas are developing a feeling of inferiority towards their own language and slowly being made to feel that speaking Hindi is a pre-requisite for Indian nationality.

T. A. Narayana Gowda vehemently opposed this in his speech, and declared that this imposed feeling of inferiority is fatal for the future of Kannadigas. The conference passed a resolution to "celebrate" 14 Sept as "Anti Hindi-imposition day" every year. Twenty-five Vedike activists were arrested on this day for ransacking the office of All India Radio for airing Hindi programmes in lieu of the usual Kannada programmes even after requests against the same[19].

References

  1. ^ Kannada activists attack theatre showing Hindi movie
  2. ^ Great rush for Rajnikant’s Sivaji in Karnataka-tickets being sold at 3000
  3. ^ a b Face to face with Narayana Gowda - thatskannada.com (Kannada)
  4. ^ The Hindu: Ten Vedike Members Surrender
  5. ^ The Hindu: Supersession of BCC came as no surprise
  6. ^ The Hindu: Belgaum corporation: decision today
  7. ^ We are not against Marathis, says rakshana vedike
  8. ^ Ibnlive.com: Karnataka set for Monday blues, shuts down
  9. ^ The Hindu: Cauvery verdict: bandh total, peaceful in Mysore city
  10. ^ The Hindu Business Line: Karnataka bandh peaceful
  11. ^ The Tribune: Karnataka comes to a halt
  12. ^ The Hindu: Centre urged not to notify final award of Cauvery tribunal
  13. ^ Opposition grows against project near Hogenakkal
  14. ^ Stop the work, Tamil Nadu urged
  15. ^ The Hindu Business Line: Pro-Kannada activists demand more jobs for locals in IT sector
  16. ^ The Hindu: `Rasta roko' hits vehicle movement
  17. ^ The Hindu: Activists blacken signboards
  18. ^ The Hindu: Kannada activists deface English signboards
  19. ^ Oneindia.in: AIR station attacked by Kannada activists
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