'Speak in Hindi if you want to stay in Bengaluru': Man tells auto driver in viral video, sparks outrage

A video showing a heated exchange between a non-Kannadiga man and an auto driver in Bengaluru has gone viral, sparking a fresh round of debate over language in Karnataka's capital.

In the clip, the man is seen angrily telling the auto driver, "Speak in Hindi if you want to stay in Bengaluru," while his friends attempt to calm him down.

The auto driver, visibly upset, retorts, “You have come to Bengaluru, you speak in Kannada. I won't speak in Hindi”. The context behind the altercation remains unclear, but the man's remark has triggered widespread criticism on social media, especially among Kannadigas.

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Watch the video here:

How did X users react?

Many users on X (formerly Twitter) expressed outrage, accusing the man of linguistic arrogance. One user wrote, “I don't support pro-Kannada hooliganism, but the Hindi guy in the video deserves belt treatment. He’s come here from somewhere else and expects locals to speak his language?” Another noted, “Most of the Kannadigas in Bengaluru know Hindi. Then why do you hesitate to speak Kannada and make a scene?”

The incident has once again highlighted the friction between linguistic communities in Bengaluru, a cosmopolitan city where Hindi speakers from across India coexist with native Kannada speakers. One user wrote, “Most of you North Indians make no effort to learn the local language, be it Marathi, Kannada, or Tamil.”

Another post added, “The arrogance and hatred comes with Hindi! No other language speakers have the audacity to demand others to speak in their language. Language should be about adaptability, not dominance.”

Several users also pointed out that India has no national language, emphasizing that expecting everyone to speak Hindi is a flawed notion. “I learned in school that India has no national language. It’s those with no formal education who don’t know this,” read one post.

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