After signboards, it’s number plates

After signboards, it’s number plates
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bangalore: The Kannada Development Authority (KDA) had, earlier this month, issued a notice stating that from January 1, signboards of commercial establishments should be mandatorily highlighted in Kannada. Now, it’s the turn of Kannada numerals on vehicle registrion plates.
The Kannada Anushtana Mandali is celebrating Kannada Number Saptaha at Malleswaram Grounds, where a huge number of autorickshaw drivers, twowheeler and car owners are lining up to get their vehicle number plates changed to Kannada numerals. It was reported that about 850-odd vehicles changed their number plates by evening. The mela will also be organized in other parts of Bangalore. The Mandali is embossing the Kannada numerals on the plates, along with the English numerals, free of cost.
The KDA had earlier issued a directive to ensure that all government vehicles carry Kannada numerals on the number plates, along with the English numerals.
“If we don’t encourage our own script, who else will? Not only Kannada language, but Kannada numerals also should be made compulsory,’’ said R Ramamurthy, a two-wheeler owner.
“KDA should give top priority to protecting Kannada numerals just like what they did with Kannada language. Otherwise, we may initiate a protest against KDA”, R A Prasad, president, Kannada Anushtana Mandali, said.
On Monday, the Kannada number plate campaign will be held at Vijayanagar bus stand.
Rulebook says:
According to the Motor Vehicles (MV) Act, vehicles can have number plates with Kannada (or any regional language) numerals, but should mandatorily have one number plate with Hindu-Arabic (English) numerals