Kannada flag should be hoisted compulsorily on State formation day on November 1, government tells businesses : Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar announced on Friday that all institutions across the state, including IT companies, factories and educational establishments, will be required to hoist the Kannada flag on November 1 to mark the Karnataka Rajyotsava.

“November 1 is an important day for Karnataka,” Shivakumar said. “As the Bengaluru development minister, I am directing all companies, factories and educational centres to hoist the Karnataka flag. Even if cultural events are not held, it is important that the flag is hoisted to mark the occasion,” he added.

Karnataka Rajyotsava, observed every year on November 1, celebrates the unification of Kannada-speaking regions to form the state of Karnataka in 1956. Shivakumar said that this year’s celebration will serve as a reminder of the importance of Kannada and the state’s cultural identity. He highlighted the importance of making Kannada pride visible, particularly in Bengaluru, where nearly 50% of the population consists of people from other states.

“We need to ensure that Kannada is respected, and the Karnataka flag is mandatorily hoisted on all buildings on November 1,” Shivakumar said, adding that organisations are required to send photos of the flag-hoisting to a WhatsApp number provided by the BBMP, Bengaluru’s civic body, as proof of compliance.

Shivakumar also assured that the government has taken steps to protect the organisations from any harassment or disturbances related to the Rajyotsava celebrations. “No pro-Kannada organisation or any other group can threaten or disrupt businesses or establishments. We will take strict action if there are any such incidents,” he said.

The directive comes against the backdrop of the state’s broader efforts to promote Kannada. Earlier this year, the Karnataka legislative assembly passed a bill mandating that 60% of all signboards of businesses and establishments across the state should display Kannada. This legislation, known as the Kannada Language Comprehensive Development (Amendment) Bill, 2024, was introduced to strengthen the state’s 2022 law, which sought to boost the use of Kannada in commercial signage.

The bill was tabled during the ongoing budget session of the assembly, with chief minister Siddaramaiah’s Congress-led government asserting that non-compliance could result in the cancellation of business licences.

However, despite the government’s push, Karnataka governor Thaawarchand Gehlot sent back an ordinance that proposed augmenting the use of Kannada in commercial signboards. The governor advised the government to pursue the law through the assembly instead of issuing an ordinance. Later in February, the Karnataka legislative assembly passed a bill mandating 60% use of Kannada in signboards of businesses and establishments across the state, with the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government asserting that non-compliance would lead to cancellation of licences.