Bengaluru: A social media post by Bengaluru resident Rekha criticizing food delivery service Swiggy for its lack of Kannada-speaking delivery agents has sparked significant debate. The post, shared on X (formerly Twitter), highlights Rekha’s frustration with receiving a delivery from a person who did not speak Kannada or English, and has triggered a broader discussion on language preferences in Karnataka.

In her post, Rekha questioned Swiggy’s choice of delivery personnel and accused the company of imposing Hindi. She wrote, “Bengaluru is in Karnataka or Pakistan @swiggy? Your delivery guy neither speaks nor understands Kannada, nor even English. Do you expect us to learn his state language Hindi in our land? Stop imposing things on us and ensure your delivery persons know Kannada.”

Her post, which has garnered over 2.5 lakh views, has reignited discussions about the role of Kannada in Karnataka’s workforce. Many locals have echoed Rekha’s concerns, advocating for more job opportunities for Kannadigas and emphasizing the importance of local language proficiency.

Mixed Reactions:

  1. Economic Concerns: Ankit Verma expressed concerns about the economic impact of language tensions, citing reports that 53 companies from other Indian cities have considered relocating due to ongoing language disputes. “Will the city’s tech hub status remain secure?” he asked.
  2. Functional Perspective: Some users emphasized the importance of timely service over linguistic skills. “As long as the delivery is done on time, who cares about the linguistic skills of the delivery boy!” one user commented.
  3. Criticism of the Post: Others questioned Rekha’s stance, with some sarcastically asking if Bengaluru is in Karnataka or England, highlighting that English was never a traditional language in the state.
  4. Legal and Constitutional Debate: Shweta Bansal raised questions about the constitutional role of Hindi, arguing, “Hindi a state language or national official language? Are you above the constitution?” This comment reflects the ongoing debate about Hindi’s role in Indian states where it is an official language but not always used.

The incident underscores the tension between preserving regional identity and accommodating a multilingual workforce. As Karnataka continues to advocate for Kannada, the debate over language preferences in business and public services remains a contentious issue.

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