In recent times, Bengaluru has witnessed rising tensions over language. A segment of the local population believes that people who move to Karnataka should speak Kannada, while non-Kannadigas often feel pressured and even harassed over not knowing the language. This has grown a massive North versus South divide.
In a video that went viral recently, we see a heated exchange between a local resident and a non-Kannada speaker. In the video, a Bengaluru man approaches a person who has lived and worked in Karnataka for over 12 years. He questions the individual’s lack of Kannada-speaking skills and claims that it is disrespectful towards the local culture.
“You want a job here, you want a salary here, but you don’t want the language here,” he remarks.
Emphasizing the importance of Kannada as part of Karnataka’s identity, he goes on to say, “This is Bengaluru, not Mumbai or Gujarat. This is our state, our India.”
Have a look:
This is Good. Question the Lazy folks
12yrs in Karnataka and yet to understand and learn Kannada?
That says only Two things, Zero Curiosity and willingness to Learn, Arrogance towards Local Culture and Language.#Kannada #Karnataka pic.twitter.com/fdkosPscKc
— ಲಕ್ಷ್ಮಿ ತನಯ (@ManjuKBye) October 30, 2024
However, several people weighed in on the incident. Some users supported the local man’s stance, arguing that learning the local language shows respect for the culture. Others, however, pointed out that in a cosmopolitan city like Bengaluru, people come from diverse backgrounds and should not be forced to adapt linguistically to be accepted.
Have a look:
I’m from Punjab, living in Gurgaon(Haryana) since past 18 years, never forced to learn and speak Haryanavi 🤷
That’s the best part of our country
Imagine Diljit doing a concert in Karnataka and being asked to sing in Kannada 😭😂— Sarabjit (@Sarabjit_cse) October 31, 2024
Who the hell you are ask us to learn Kannada. Its none of your business. It’s our wish whether to learn or not. You don’t have any right to make it mandatory. Its not an arrogance, its his wish. You stay in AP or Telangana and we never force you to learn Telugu Language. This is…
— Venkatesh Alla (@alla_cma) October 30, 2024
Well it is “good” to learn the local language and also great if I can interact with local people who cannot speak other languages in their native tongue, but it is certainly not mandatory.
If he has lived 12 years in a city without learning the language, it also means he didn’t…— Ramkrishna Iyer (@KannanK51531500) October 30, 2024
Why should he learn? Is forcing to learn language the new criteria to move to different state. The language jingoistic people just want to harass outsiders.
Not everyone is keen to learn different language because they are too much other responsibilities.— Khao Maa Kasam (@khaomaakekasam) October 30, 2024
You support Virat Kohli and he’s part of RCB for 16yrs. Ask him to learn Kannad or else tell the RCB management not to retain him. Can you do.. please
— Satin (@Satin941) October 30, 2024
Why force people….he’s not interested…leave it.
It has become a trend now and people enjoy posting on social media that they care for their country. Learning a particular language will solve any problem?— Bad-ri (@badriOff) October 30, 2024
Kannada Imposition!
The Salary this non Kannadiga man gets feeds the entire Karnataka economy.Pays rent to Kanandiga landlord
Buys food from Kanndigas
Buys fuel , employs maids, spents his entire salary and pays taxes to Karnataka, you don’t have any rights to bully him— Lone Wolf (@Lonewolfhu) October 31, 2024
this guy is forcing to learn kannada in name of respect… what nonsense is this… your kids are born speaking kannada??? why is is not understood after some age it is not possibble to learn very fast..anyways new generation is learning it… no one hate language or culture
— Himanta my new PM (@lokeshpancholi) October 30, 2024
So many our Kannadigas staying in Mumbai. I don’t think all of them speak Marathi. So we need people from all states to develop our state. So we should not impose any restrictions on language or religion and think as one India and one Bharat
— Lance (@Lance785785611) October 31, 2024
The line between respect and imposition seems to be thin!