While Dr Saleem, the Addl Commissioner, Traffic, has stated (check this) that he will be taking up an intensive drive against 'defective number plates' (the biggest issue here of course pertaining to the Kannada number plates - very few people want to identify it as such, since it is supposed to be a 'sensitive' matter), it will be good if citizens themselves start boycotting taxi's and auto's with number plates made out just in Kannada (or, not displaying the ones, made out in English letterings and Arabic numerals, as per the M V Act, prominently enough). Perhaps government agencies like BESCOM (see picture) could set an example, to begin with.
There is no trivialising the matter. Now, supposing BESCOM engages this vehicle to pick up an outstation visitor from the airport, and the driver misbehaves, how is the visitor going to be able to identify the vehicle to the police, if the most important identifying feature is incomprehensible to him? That is precisely what has been brought out with reference to this instance of an auto driver terrorising of a foreign professor's family. The matter gains further currency from this instance, where the police had difficulty tracing the vehicle involved in the murder of the the Gandhinagar corporator, because the number plates were made out in Kannada only.
Besides, this is a matter of national security. Now, what if a Riyaz Bhatkal (of Indian Mujahideen notoreity) chooses to perpetrate another act, like the attack on the KSCA stadium or the IISc? You may be dead sure he will engage a vehicle with registration plates in Kannada only, since the chances of its getting identified properly are less than 5%, with even half the police force unable to readily make out the letterings and numerals, which have no prescribed standards besides.
Muralidhar Rao
PS: This is not a Kannada vs English issue, nor a Kannadiga vs outsider issue. So, please don't bring these up in the debate here. Debates on those issues are on-going on PRAJA, and if you wish to contribute, you may access them here, apart from other blogs.
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Law enforcement
Boycotting of these vehicles is perhaps not a feasible solution. The customers in a hurry will look for a Yellow number plate cab. One can observe that the Kannada plate has put the correct number though not in English Alphabets. One has to know the Kannada alphabets to get the number.
The plate shown in the picture is illegal and the perpetrators of this crime need to be dealt with according to the existing law. This is an example of a low caliber society that we live in. Police unwilling to do their job is not acceptable. After all it takes booking a few cabs with Kannada plates will do the trick.
The example sited by Murali sir shows his concern for foreign visitors. To be safe they should take a picture of the number plate before hand. That will be useful in lodging a complaint in case of any misbehavior.
BESCOM MD responds
Received the following response from Mr Manivannan, MD, BESCOM to my mail forwarding the blog to him:
I saw it. Thanks for bringing it to my notice. Will take necessary action.
Regards, Manivannan.
Defective especially Kannada only plates
number plates of KRV & others organaization
we have many vehicle of Karave (Karnataka Rakshana Vedike), Jaya Karnataka having kannada number plate. Recently I saw toyota fortuner with KRV name & kannada number plate. We need somebody to bell that cat.
Use of English number plates
To days Bangalore mirror has a well written article by Hemanth Kashyap.
All vehicles must have only English number plates with Arabic Numerals in the front and rear, according to an order passed by the police. Vehicles can have Kannada number plates but only as additional ones.