There are multiple events have come to the limelight when Hindi-speaking people have been harassed in Karnataka for not knowing Kannada. At the center of the Hindi-Kannada debate, a video is now spreading like a wildfire, in which a boy from Bihar alleged that he was harassed and threatened by a few people because he was a Hindi-speaking person and did not know Kannada in Bengaluru. The boy from Bihar reportedly shot his video and uploaded it on social media describing the ordeal he faced just because he did not know Kannada and was working in an eatery in Bengaluru. As per reports, man who is said to be from Bihar has accused three people in Bengaluru of abusing and harassing him as he spoke no Kannada. Now, Bihar man Bengaluru Kannada video is spreading like a wildfire and it was sparked a massive social media debate. Not only this, the Bengaluru Police has taken cognizance of the matter and lodged a complaint as well. Below is what the man said in his video-
In the video, the man alleged that three people had come to the eatery in Rajajinagar where he works and abused him for “being a Bihari”. He says he is from Bihar’s Muzaffarpur district. We Hindiwalas feed these people but will they come and hit us? I am working here out of necessity and these people have abused me. Is Bihari a cuss word? I challenge Karnataka, those who want to hit a Bihari come and do it. I ask the government to give us justice,” he said. It is pertinent to mention here that some parts of the video have not been transcribed as it contained abusive language. The city police have taken cognisance of the matter and said an inquiry has been initiated.
After the video went viral, Bengaluru Police responded and wrote, "Discrimination on the grounds of language, religion or gender is strictly not tolerated. @BlrCityPolice has taken cognisance of the event. @dcpnorthbcp contacted the complainant & enquiry initiated. ..Please note: Action by us is swifter & less than 30 mins away when you #DAIL112"
Discrimination on the grounds of language, religion or gender is strictly not tolerated. @BlrCityPolice has taken cognisance of the event. @dcpnorthbcp contacted the complainant & enquiry initiated.
— ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ನಗರ ಪೊಲೀಸ್ BengaluruCityPolice (@BlrCityPolice) April 13, 2023
Please note: Action by us is swifter & less than 30 mins away when you #DAIL112
What do netizens have to say?
A user wrote, "Shameful incident of racism coming out from Karnataka. Man of Bihar exposing the xenophobia of locals. Such mentality must not be accepted in 21st century India. All of India is for all Indians. Very heartbreaking to see such videos..."If education does not create a need for the best in life, then we are stuck in an undemocratic, rigid caste society.”: Sargent shriver...Some people work throughout their live’s just to make end’s meet. But some people take advantage of their privileges and look down upon the people who are not at par with their social status. ..The agony of this young man is justified. Discriminating any person on the basis of their ethnicity or culture is simply a barbaric act."
Another user wrote, "Why only these Karnataka people have issues with everything? Hindi speaking people, Amul and God knows whatever. ..Shameful incident!"
"Come on. There is no xenophobia here. This looks very weird." wrote another user.
"Go back to Bihar who is stopping you. Show me one example where Kannadiga speaking in Kannada in Hindi heartland or any other state except Karnataka. Forget about abusing the locals, we can’t even speak Kannada in northern states. How on earth you expect us to speak in Hindi?" added another user.
Another user said, "Choose right examples to highlight the issue ., this man talks about guns and bombs being bihars natural strength .. seriously!"
'Not the first time in Bengaluru'
It is pertinent to mention here that harassment in the name of the language is not new in Bengaluru. In March this year, Dancer Salman Yusuff Khan shared on Instagram that he was harassed and asked to speak in Kannada by an immigration officer at the Bengaluru international airport. He added that the incident had disturbed him and was trying to report it to the authorities. A visibly disturbed Salman went on his Instagram Live to narrate the incident where he felt harassed by the officer who claimed he could ‘suspect’ him of anything. The dancer also shared that he was trying to report the incident to the airport authorities.
Tagging the Kempegowda International Airport, he wrote, "On my way to Dubai and I meet this immigration officer who speaks to me in Kannada .. and I in my broken Kannada try to tell him that I understand the language but can’t speak so well to which he continues to speak in Kannada and shows me my passport and points out my name and my birth place and my fathers name and his birthplace and has the audacity to tell me that .. you and your father are born in Bangalore and you can’t speak Kannada .. to which I replied .. that being born in Bangalore doesn’t mean I’m born with the language … I could be born in Bangalore and travelled the world like I have been always a Saudi child bought up in Saudi .. (ps: I have never had Kannada as a language as I never lived in the country during my schooling .. whatever little that I know is through my friends) to which he goes to the extent of saying that .. if u can’t speak Kannada I can suspect you …"