NISHANT RATNAKAR has an interesting post on the German mall Metro hoisting the red-and-yellow Kannada flag in the aftermath of the Cauvery tribunal judgment and the ensuing protests, outside its premises.
1) Does this mean they love Karnataka?
2) Does this mean they care for local issues?
3) Is this an act of appeasement?
4) Is this just an action borne out of fear?
Read the full article here: Do they really mean it?
Action just born out of fear
You forced them to!
The concerns in this post are well justified. But what worries me more is the way non-kannaDigas percieve these acts of vandalisms by some social hooligans, to be acts of uprisings against non-kannadigas.
My heart and brain just hurts, when these non-kannadigas who come to Bangalooru in search of jobs, food etc, crib without properly understanding that these acts of vandalism would not be resorted to, by a sensible kannadiga and can happen in their respective states also. Indeed the prestige of KannaDigas has gone for a toss owing to some petty minded social vandals.
Fear to their assests which are made up of 70% glass structures. I woundt be surprised if their insurance company advised these flags along with nets.
this is a definite victory for pro- kannada activists. they have atlesat created a fear amongst these MNC’s , who otherwise condemn anything related to kannada.
THIS MIGHT ULTIMATELY LEAD TO A SITUATION WHERE SOME NON-KANNADIGAS WOULD WANT TO LEARN KANNADA TO JOIN THE MAINSTREAM. IT HAS ALREADY STARTED IN SOME MNC’S.
I guess this post seems to suggest that only those commercial/industrial establishments owned by outsiders are using the Kannada flag or a photo of Dr.Rajkumar to protect themselves against mob attacks by a largely local populace. While this may be true to an extent it is not just outsiders. I have seen many shops owned localites using these symbols for protection. But if you think about it who would’nt? Nobody would like to invite any backlash upon themselves especially if you have invested your own money. Do they have any concern about the cause? Maybe not. But then, they have to protect themselves first. Can you call that selfishness?
On the day of the bundh(Feb 12), I went out to a Coffee Day outlet in Bangalore at about 7.30pm after the bundh was supposed to have ended. It had a pretty good crowd there about 30-40 people and suddenly one guy threw a pretty big stone at the glass window. The window cracked but did not break. The coffee day guys quickly closed the shutters and we were stranded in there until the police came and escorted us out. The point I am trying to make here is that the mob rage that is being talked about is blind about its “target”. Most of us (even the managers of coffee day) were kannada-speaking localites inside. The interesting thing was that there were few other shops opened on the same road which were not targeted probably because they did not look glamorous enough!
If you think about it even the “mob” does not does not actually care about Cauvery. Look what happened in Mysore – 12 vehicles burnt. There is a sense of revelry when someone else’s property is destroyed. Under such circumstances it is better to be pragmatic than emotional.
*dr ramesh: Hold on.. who is condemning anything related to Kannada? And what is mainstream according to you? So narrow minded and inferior mindset! Alas!
Agreed that there should be respect for regional language. But your comments show that you have not understood the pun of the write up. Do you think it is a victory if everyone sports a Rajkumar photo and a Yellow-Red flag?!
* V Rao: I agree with you. Sir, that’s why we will condemn these Vandals. Not take this ‘Great’ opportunity to say that Pro-kannada activism has won! comments like those of dr ramesh make us think that Karnataka never deserved any MNCs or ‘glamorous’ showrooms!
there is a fine line btwn pro kannada chauvinism and vandalism.
take for example — ICICI BANK( HIGHLY EDUCATED CORPORATES, STUDIED IN IIM’S, GRADUATES WHO ARE HAND IN GLOVE WITH GOONDA ELEMENTS TO RECOVER LOANS, EVEN PREPARED TO USE ” LONG” AGAINST POOR Kannadigas) this is VANDALISM.
COMPANIES WHO YELL BULLSHIT AT THE VERY MENTION OF KANNADA,KANNADIGAS— THEY HAVE TO BE CAJOLED, EDUCATED ABOUT GIVING RESPECT TO THE STATE THEY ARE LIVING IN, IF THEY DONT AGREE— PROTEST, THIS IS CHAUVINISM.
Dr Ramesh,
I agree with you that the methods employed by some private banks to recover loan is at times illegal. But this happens to all people in other states also. Even the Supreme Court has warned those banks to show restraint in these matters. But the question here is that whether non-kannada organizations are justified in using kannada symbols as protection. Generally business establishments are pragmatic rather than emotive. You cannot help it . Anybody who has put his money is obviously interested in protecting it also.
And also, I dont believe that the people out on the street during a bundh shouting slogans are more “patriotic” than others who dont. Mindless violence cannot be interpreted as patriotism. Similarly, working at an MNC does not mean that the person is a sell-out or unpatriotic.
Good discussion and great points. Our Arashina-Kumkuma (yellow-red) flag appeared just before the bundh day outside our company building too!! Then the usual comments followed. Look now we have a Karnataka flag!! [How many other states have their own official flag? ;-)] Does that mean ‘those’ guys will not throw stones at us? The elites (both ‘insiders’ and ‘outsiders’) in my office had a mild response to Kaveri verdict and seemed to show some interest only when the water sharing issue for Bangalore came up!!
Fear drove many of these businesses to put up flags and photos. I doubt if these corporations will ever care about local issues or about local people.
Vandalism may take place in the name of state or language. Would those vandals knowingly target a ‘glamorous’ building if the business operating there do really care about local people and have given a fair share of the jobs given to locals?
agreed sir,
kannadigas hopethat kannada flags which are pasted on the glass panels also find a place in the hearts of people living in karnataka.
Protest maadodhralli yenu thapilla ..aadre sthaLeeya Bhaashe haagu Samskruthige kandeetha Gaourava Kodbeku .
AT , Correct aagi helidheera .
These Business only care about themselves .They dont do anything for community nor involve themselves in making a difference for the common man dailey life . How many of these companies adopt a Road or Locality for development. They can join hands with civic bodies and achieve lots of things.
Can these companies give statistics about employment for Semi Skilled and Unskilled in the local population ( Again I am not asking for technical jobs) .
They only know to complain about BAD infrastructure . They go on national television and newspapers and lament about plight of bangalore.
Why cant they open a software development center in Kolar,Tumkur,Shimoga etc.
Recently they opened a Software firm in Godavari district in Andhra.
There is no accountability for these firms nor there is no accountability for Vandals to break a Glass or burn something .
All frustrations are just vented out against these BIG GLASS Structures because people start feeling jealous and get a chance to bring it out .
Again I am talking about those who are in lower strata of society and who are deprived of Jobs in their own land .
Walk into any software firm .
The Security guys are from Bihar,Orissa or North east.
The Office boys are either Tamil or Mallus .
The Cafetaria Staff and the house keeping is usually the telugu and Tamils.
The software personnel regionality is dependant on who is the founder of the company or who is on HR ( this doesnt hold good for Infosys) Manager.
if the HR manager or VP – HR is Mallu …all are mallus .Likewise Tamils ,Telugu etc etc .
Has anyone walked into SATYAM ? Satyam Hyderabad has only telugus and Satyam-Chennai has sizeable chunk of Tams.
Well here is the FACT . One of the Biggest names in Paper Manufacturing Company in South east USA is implementing ERP . Out of 45 Consultants onsite 43 are from Andhra . recently the Client complained about the disparity and a chinese from canada was chosen .
All I am telling is ‘yellargu ondhu Nyaya Kannadigarige Anyaaya’ .
Govinda Govinda…
I dont think you’ve done rounds of Satyam Chennai, Hyd, Blore and Port Blair! These statistics appears elsewhere! What you can do is to specialize in HR and encourage all your native neighbours to take HR and become HR managers. Then if the HR seats are full, you can ask few to join a Security firm and also to learn how to make idli/dosa so that they can operate the canteen. Otherwise there is no wayout.
‘yellargu ondhu Nyaya Kannadigarige Anyaaya’ : such statements dont even merit pity! Drown!
since its inception , karnataka has always been given a raw deal by all central govts. its time that kannadigas demand and fight for their rights. its only greatness of kannadigas that they have been so restrained in their protests after cauvery tribunal verdict. but if this injustice continues, who knows PEOPLE MIGHT DEMAND A SEPARATE KARNATAKA COUNTRY.
dr Ramesh,
You need to see a pychologist. better a Kannadiga psychologist. What injustice are you talking about. Have you ventured out of your hometown? have you seen India? Have you visited Tribal areas of Chattisgarh, Rajastan, Kerala, North East. The slums of Mumbai, Kolkota. You are looking only at one direction. Like a cart horse. all the best to your efforts to ‘pray for a Karnataka Country’. Be enterprising man.
hello, this is what some people told when ulfa was formed 2 decades back, if centre had given good attention to assam, listen to their feelings, things wouldnt go haywire as it is today.
widen your outlook — ostrich mentality( ducking away from crisis) would lead us nowhere.
please find out what psychology is all about .
Intha corporate samsthe central govt samsthe horagninthu voLage kallOgadre enri labha?
Intha samsthe oLage nammOru hege seroDhu anodhu mukhya.
idralli kelaskk baro upaya vonde –
nammoru innu hecchu employable aagabeku.
nammoru innu hecchu entrepreneurial aagbeku.
rench hiDdounella plumber alla. Kaveri Plumbers prop. TK Halebhavi (ITI, Bijapura) yooru plumber.
ella level allu entrepreneurship aagli leadership aagli encourage maaD beku.
sslc puc system syllabus alli, kotha history load kammi maadi basic economics, bussiness heLkoDbeku. panchayati andrenu corporation andrenu, sale deed andrenu, title deed andrenu, power of attorney andrenu, property tax andrenu, mayor andrenu, corporator andrenu, intha kelasakke baro vishaya tiLisi.
ITI, diploma syllabus alli automotive repair, construction, plumbing, electrician jothege agriculture koda shuru maadbeku. ITI, diploma holdersge high school ginta svalpa advanced economics and bussiness classes irabeku. jotege industry avarige apprenticeship and co-op placements hecch maadabeku.
mysoor, mangloor, dharwada, shimogga, prathyondu district allo, IIT,BITS, IIM,UPSC, AIIMS, JNU,NDA, NLS, NID, heege deshada ella prakhyata institutes ge coaching kodo meshtraagli, collegaagli encoruagement kod beku. Regularize coaching classes for these types of exams.
give tax and grant subsidy incentives to THESE people(all levels of schools & colleges) DEPENDING on how many students they succesfully place in industry and how many they send to higher institutions. These are the people who will create oppurtunities for karnataka people.
is there any value in shifting history education to kannada?
Kannada prothsaha + KA kids could potentially get an insider’s view of history + could styme Karnadesque whitewashed view of history.
practically, history is useless as far as the daily mudde is concerned anyways, especially for the working majority. as framed and presented it is orwellian big brothery purana anyways. why not use it to push kannada and if possible, keep the JNU types off our backs? extra free time available, can be used to drill in much more productive realities on how market, money and real life works.
I see comments that Kannadigas are not being given priority in the various MNCs in bangalore. Tell me why would a HR manager not select a person if he/she is qualified for the job.
The core problem is the lack of education and skill-set. Take the example of Andhra or Tamilnadu. Look at the number of graduates they produce and look at the educational awareness among the families in these states.
They want to be educated and trained and want to lead a stable life.
The basic reason why kannadigas are not being able to match the skill level and educational requirements of the various MNCs in bangalore is the lack of educational awareness and the sheer neglect of the successive state governments, irrespective of the political party.
The politicians of karnataka are least bothered abt the people of the state. They play with the emotions of the people by raising irrelevant and trivial issues, rather than focusing on the development of the state. Just take the example of TN. No matter how corrupt the politicians of TN are, the development of the state never stopped and it is now one of the most industrialized state in the country and one of the most progressive one too.
Why are the proud kannadigas not demanding development from the politicians. They are the real culprits. The so-called out-siders or non-kannadigas are not the real problem.
Someone pointed out that Satyam-Hyd has a lot of telugu people and Satyam-Chennai has a sizeable tamil crowd. People have to think why is it not the case with Satyam-blr. Thats because the local kannadigas are not able to fill the requirements of the company. This is simple Supply-Demand case, my friends.
All the alleged-discrimination is false. Discrimination has been implanted into ur minds by the selfish politicians. Dont fall prey to it and dont create a bad name for all kannadigas in the country. If the same trend continues in Karnataka, i have no doubt that in the bear future kannadigas will be hated through out the country.
Animated Kannada Flags (GIF) and Animated Kannada flag cursors can be freely downloaded from http://www.compuinkannada.987mb.com (Computer in Kannada).
Please visit this website also for Free Kannada software and Kannada screensaver.
Thanks