Ashok, a warehouse supervisor at a Zomato facility in Bengaluru, filmed a video that has since gone viral. In it he declares, ‘I don’t know Kannada. I’ll speak in Hindi. If you want to work here, learn Hindi, or leave.’ The clip shows him dismissively ignoring workers who attempted to remind him that the warehouse is in Karnataka.
When one employee replied, ‘This is Karnataka,’ Ashok responded, ‘So what, I will only speak Hindi,’ before instructing staff to either acquire Hindi fluency or exit the job. The video triggered swift backlash from local residents and pro‑Kannada activists, who gathered outside the warehouse demanding the supervisor’s removal.
In the wake of the uproar, a petition was filed with the Madanayakanahalli police, prompting authorities to briefly detain Ashok before releasing him. He later issued a video apology in Kannada, folding his hands and promising never again to impose such a linguistic requirement.
The incident underscores the growing tension over language rights in corporate India, where Hindi is often touted as the national lingua franca while regional languages retain strong cultural identity. Critics argue that demanding Hindi in a predominantly Kannada‑speaking state is a form of cultural imposition.
Zomato has not yet issued an official statement, leaving the company’s stance unclear. Meanwhile, police are expected to file a formal complaint, and workers may seek legal recourse under labor regulations.