Hotel cites non-existent ‘policy’ to turn down Kannada song request

A premium hotel in Bengaluru refused to play Kannada songs citing ‘company policy’, but later acknowledged there was no policy barring Kannada.

Umesha N Shetty, who lives in the US, was at Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park, on January 1, where “mostly English songs were being played”.

“After the New Year countdown, a guest asked the hotel staff to play any Kannada song. The staff wasn’t enthusiastic about the idea, but agreed to play a song ‘for just two minutes’,” he says. “They played ‘Jinke mareena’ for less than a minute,” he says.

Soon after, the song was paused by another staff member. “I intervened and asked why and was told it was a policy not to play anything except English music,” he says. Umesha tweeted about it the same day. “An email was sent to me, saying the hotel has no policy which stops them from ‘playing regional music’. I received an apology via an email from the front desk manager. I am however looking for a public clarification in this regard,” he adds.

Manish Garg, general manager, Hilton Garden Inn Bengaluru Embassy Manyata Business Park, says, “The hotel… does not discriminate against any individual or group.”

Many like language activist Arun Javgal are baffled. He says, “International companies do business in different countries and do not discriminate on the basis of language.” The reason for such behaviour, he reckons, is that, “Organisations probably feel that Hindi and English are enough for Indians.”

Javgal says Article 343, which states that Hindi is the official language, “is influencing government services and now indirectly the private sector too”.

“Importance should be given to services in local languages. Policies that say services will be provided in only Hindi and English should not be allowed,” he says.

Similar incidents
* In March 2021, Kannada rapper Alok Babu started an online petition asking for Kannada songs to be played at clubs and pubs in Karnataka.
* In February 2022, a DJ assaulted a visitor at a pub in Koramangala for requesting a Kannada song.