Bengaluru News

Alleged Fact Checker Zubair Dogwhistles Hindi Month Celebration At UR Rao Satellite Centre In Bengaluru, Netizens Call Him Out For Trying To Incite Linguistic Tensions

September 9, 2024
The Commune

Alleged fact-checker Mohammed Zubair launched his dog-whistling tactics to stoke linguistic tensions in Karnataka after sharing images of a “Hindi Month Celebration” banner at the U.R Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru. His post, which seems like an attempt to incite discord, has reignited the debate over whether residents from other states in Karnataka should learn Kannada. This controversy echoes a similar discussion from 2017 when pro-Kannada activists successfully campaigned to remove Hindi signage from Namma Metro stations.

Language Dispute In Karnataka

Linguistic wars in Karnataka seem to have reached a pinnacle, as netizens from the state and outsiders debate whether people from other states living in the state/cities of Karnataka must learn the language.

Amidst this debate, several netizens shared their experiences of living in states other than their home state and shared how welcoming or unwelcoming it was (as the case may be).

This was against the backdrop of a viral 2017 post showing pro-Kannada activists removing Hindi signage at Namma Metro stations.

In 2017, a month after protests against the use of Hindi in Namma Metro, the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) removed Hindi signboards from all metro stations, retaining only Kannada and English. The decision followed a letter from Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to the Centre, urging the removal of Hindi signs to respect the state’s cultural sentiments. Pro-Kannada activists, including members of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), had defaced several Hindi signs at metro stations across Bengaluru. The protests were intensified with support from the DMK faction of Karnataka, leading to the final removal of the Hindi signage.

The viral post on the removal of Hindi signage brought all the pro-Kannada netizens together who were arguing with people who felt this was a drastic move.

To add fuel to the fire, alleged fact-checker Mohammed Zubair began his dog whistling tactics. He shared a couple of photos of the ‘U.R Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru. He pointed out at the banner which read “Hindi Month Celebration“

Netizens Call Out Zubair For Inciting Language Wars

It is noteworthy that Hindi Diwas is celebrated across the country in schools and various central government institutions every year. Netizens called out Zubair for his dog-whistling and potential incitement of linguistic tension in the state against the institution as well as Hindi speakers in the state.

Netizens also fact-checked Zubair on the Hindi celebrations conducted by central government institutions.

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