Bengaluru – A 25-second video showing a heated argument between two women over language use in a public place has gone viral on social media, reigniting debate over the Kannada–Hindi divide in Karnataka’s capital.
The video, reportedly recorded near a ticket counter, captures a woman in a burqa insisting on speaking in Hindi while another woman in a saree demands that she use Kannada instead. The confrontation quickly escalates, with both women raising their voices.
While the exact cause of the altercation remains unclear, the intensity of the exchange has resonated with many Kannadigas who feel that the Kannada language is being marginalised in public spaces.
Reactions online have been sharply divided. Some social media users expressed anger at what they see as a growing disregard for the state’s official language, while others stressed the need for mutual respect and linguistic harmony in a diverse city like Bengaluru.
The incident has once again brought to the fore long-standing debates around linguistic identity, cultural preservation, and inclusivity in one of India’s most cosmopolitan cities.
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