Bengaluru: Namma Metro says 'no' to Hindi

BENGALURU: What began as opposition to "imposition" of Hindi by the Centre on Namma Metro trains and at stations has gone beyond signages and announcements. Non-Kannadiga engineers must be asked to go, says the Kannada Development Authority ( KDA ), while frowning at the poor representation of Kannadigas in the cleaning and security departments as well.KDA chairman S G Siddaramaiah and members brought up these issues while inspecting the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRC) office on Tuesday. Two days on, the chairman wrote to CM Siddaramaiah , chief secretary Subhash Chandra Khuntia and additional chief secretary (urban development) Mahendra Jain, asking the government to issue instructions to BMRC to give first priority to Kannada and Kannadigas."There are seven chief engineers in BMRC who are non-Kannadigas. Karnataka has the highest number of engineering colleges in the country and we have a lot of qualified Kannadigas to do the job. The hiring of so many non-Kannadigas is in 'violation' of the Sarojini Mahishi report. The government must ensure these (non-Kannadiga) engineers are relieved from their jobs," reads the KDA chief's letter.The Sarojini Mahishi report had, in 1986, recommended 100% reservation for Kannadigas in state and public sector units and in some categories in central government departements as well. The KDA chairman's letter also points out that a large number of the BMRC workforce in the cleaning (housekeeping) and security departments are non-Kannadigas, which is an indication of the importance Kannada is getting at the corporation.BMRC managing director Pradeep Singh Kharola said the corporation was looking to hire locals as home guards but the fact that the force did not have enough numbers had forced them to turn to private firms. "All security guards have been instructed to learn Kannada," Kharola said.Asked about the engineers, Kharola said hiring had been done purely on the basis of technical capabilities. He said efforts would be made to hire more locals in the future.Pressure mounts on govtThe KDA chairman, in his letter, said BMRC has been misleading the government and creating confusion over use of three languages. "The government must take disciplinary action against the corporation," the letter reads.BMRC has maintained its usage of Hindi is based on instructions from the Centre. The state government had written to the Centre last year, following which the Centre had issued instructions to BMRC mandating use of Hindi. The KDA team too had no reply when asked why the state government had not directed BMRC to use only Kannada and English. While pro-Kannada activists welcomed KDA's letter, CM Siddaramaiah, remained mum.