'You want a salary here, but you don't want language...': Bengaluru's language clash goes viral

A viral video from Bengaluru is igniting a fiery debate over language in Karnataka. The clip captures a heated exchange between a local resident and a non-Kannada speaker who has lived in the state for over a decade.

The local man doesn’t hold back, venting frustration over the outsider’s inability to speak Kannada even after 12 years. “You want a job here, you want a salary here, but you don’t want the language here,” he says. He doubles down, declaring, “At least learn Kannada, okay? This is Bengaluru, not Mumbai or Gujarat. This is our state, our India.”

Posted by user @ManjuKBye, the video stirred a storm of opinions. Some support the local man’s argument, while others slam it as an unwarranted push to impose language rules.

Critics didn’t mince words. “I’m from Punjab, living in Gurgaon for 18 years, never forced to learn Haryanvi,” one user commented. “Imagine Diljit being asked to sing in Kannada.” Another fired back, “Why should he learn? Language shouldn’t be a criterion to live in a different state. People have too many responsibilities.”

Others called out the absurdity. “If he has survived 12 years without Kannada, it clearly wasn’t essential,” one wrote. Another added, “This kind of language enforcement is harassment.”

Adding fuel to the language debate, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah issued a stern warning. In his Kannada Rajyotsava address on Friday, he threatened harsh legal action against anyone ridiculing Kannada or Kannadigas online. 

“The government will treat such tendencies as betrayal of the state,” the CM declared, vowing to crack down on “miscreants” disrespecting the local language and culture.

His statement follows a string of verbal clashes between locals and outsiders and a wave of social media posts critical of Kannada. The CM stressed that all residents, regardless of background, are Kannadigas by default and urged citizens to communicate in Kannada and encourage others to learn it.