Karnataka is mulling to connect Tamil Nadu’s Hosur with Bengaluru via metro, a first-of-its-kind inter-state metro in southern India. However, Kannada groups are not so psyched about the project as they fear it will invite more migrants into the country’s IT hub.
Pro-Kannada groups have always been apprehensive of “outsiders” who come to Bengaluru owing to their IT and other jobs. From making it mandatory for shopowners to put up Kannada signboards to demanding job reservations to Kannadigas, the administration and activist groups in the southern state have been pushing a pro-Kannada campaign for a while now.
‘Will become easier for people to migrate’
Narayan Gowda, president of a pro-Kannada group Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, told News18, “We shouldn’t link Namma Metro to Tamil Nadu. Already lakhs of people from Tamil Nadu have come here and built their lives. We are already seeing that in border areas like Attibele and Electronic City, we are seeing people from Tamil Nadu coming and working in big companies. If we link the metro to Tamil Nadu, it will become easier for more people to migrate and it will make the lives of Kannadigas difficult.”
A pro-Kannada activist said that by opposing the move to link Namma Metro with Hosur, the groups want to “protect Kannadigas in Karnataka.”
“We want to know why it is important to extend the metro to Hosur instead of Ramanagara or Bidadi in Karnataka. Tamil Nadu is very clear about its people and its state. Similarly, Karnataka has to understand the policies and programmes,” said Sajith.
About the project
Although it is not sure when the project will become a reality, the metro line from Bengaluru to Hosur will cover a distance of 23 km, with 11 km in Tamil Nadu and 12 km in Karnataka.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has been hesitant about the project following the approval of a pre-feasibility study conducted by Tamil Nadu. They are reluctant to share the costs, particularly because the state is already experiencing a decline in investments, especially in the manufacturing sector, with businesses moving to Hosur.
Pro-Kannada groups also argue that the government should not go ahead with the project as the goal must be to safeguard Karnataka’s interest.
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