In what comes as good news to the pro-Kannada activists in Karnataka, the South Western Railway has reportedly decided that railway tickets will also be printed in Kannada besides English and Hindi.
Like many groups in other southern states, pro-Kannada nationalists, too, have been demanding the increased use of Kannada as a language in government communication, especially with regard to the Centre.
According to The Times of India, the tickets in Kannada language can be obtained only from the ticket counters at railway stations across the state. The language will not be featured in the tickets which are generated online.
The move follows a decision taken by the Indian Railways which allows the printing of tickets in local language besides English and Hindi from 1 January this year.
Railway Minister Piyush Goyal announced on Twitter the introduction of Kannada-language tickets. He also said that the Centre has installed Automatic Ticket Vending Machines across Karnataka for the convenience of the commuters.
“Govt introduces Automatic Ticket Vending Machines at railway stations in Karnataka to reduce congestion at ticket counters. For convenience of commuters, tickets will also have information in Kannada,” he wrote.
Twitterati praised the decision posting their messages under the hashtag, #ServeinMyLanguage.
Finally some good. #ServeInMyLanguage https://t.co/trcTmJfBDm
— ⓃⒾⒸⒽⒺ | சதுக்க பூதம் ⟁ (@NicheBrain) March 1, 2018
Yes first milestones. Many more to go. #ServeInMyLanguage https://t.co/oVsBcYcM5b
— Aneesh Mugulur (@mugulur) February 28, 2018
Support for the local language has been a major topic in southern states, especially Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
In July 2017, a pro-Kannada group had defaced Hindi signs in Namma metro stations in Bengaluru, protesting against the alleged Hindi imposition by the Centre.