Railways Minister Piyush Goyal on Sunday Tweeted some 'good news' for Bengaluru. In some much-awaited relief, Indian Railways will introduce a halt station near Kempegowda International Airport. However, this news was unwelcome among Twitterati.
Goyal's Tweet announcing the news had a video in Hindi, which was frowned upon amid recent language debates that have made many South Indians feel ostracised for not knowing the language.
"Railways' Gift to Bengaluru Flyers: Fulfilling decade-old demand of people, a halt Railway Station is coming up near Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru," Piyush Goyal's Tweet said.
Railways' Gift to Bengaluru Flyers: Fulfilling decade-old demand of people, a halt Railway Station is coming up near Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) August 16, 2020
Providing relief from road traffic, this facility will allow people to comfortably travel to the airport. pic.twitter.com/MlkjiEmgDt
Several users were quick to call out the "Hindi imperealism" and lack of the local language, Kannada, for dissipating the information.
It should be in #Kannada only. It can then be extended to other language like English which is a equidistant language for all Indians.
— GireeshBT ಗಿರೀಶ ಭೀತೋ (@girishbt) August 17, 2020
Can't get what it is, @PiyushGoyal please DM me kannada version if u are shy to post it on your TL
— ಯಶವಂತ್ ಗವ್ಡ | Yashavanth (@ravamam) August 17, 2020
Can't get what it is, @PiyushGoyal please DM me kannada version if u are shy to post it on your TL
— ಯಶವಂತ್ ಗವ್ಡ | Yashavanth (@ravamam) August 17, 2020
Users also pointed out that in the capital of Karnataka, even if not Hindi, English would have sufficed, but the minister chose to disseminate the news only in Hindi.
What's the purpose of Hindi subtitles to a Hindi video?
— ದಳವಾಯಿ ಗವುಡ (@Dalavay1) August 17, 2020
No English, No Kannada?
😐😐 Natives won't understand if you post in Hindi!! If you want this news to spread among Kannadigas you should post this in Kannada. Central controls Railway doesn't mean you have to force your language on non-hindi speaking population!! This is sheer negligence minister!!
— ವೇದಾಂತ (@naanuvinay) August 17, 2020
Shouldn't the 'gift to Bengaluru' be in Kannada?
— Amitabh Joshi (@joshiamitabhevo) August 17, 2020
This hindi imposition on non hindi speakers will only widen the fault lines.
— Athvem (@athvem) August 17, 2020
Others also pointed out that it was hypocritical of the government to build infrastricture with taxpayers' money and call it a gift.
It's your responsibility and job! Sorry you can't call it a gift unless you funded the entire project personally. Remember it's the tax payers money that is used to build these infrastructures. Basically, you can't take my money to build something and 'gift' it back to me!
— nature rules (@nanda_ramesh) August 17, 2020
It's your responsibility and job! Sorry you can't call it a gift unless you funded the entire project personally. Remember it's the tax payers money that is used to build these infrastructures. Basically, you can't take my money to build something and 'gift' it back to me!
— nature rules (@nanda_ramesh) August 17, 2020
The Hindi-over-other-langauges debate has sparked a lot of angst recently, after political leaders like Kanimozhi and P Chidambaram said they have often faced "taunts" for not knowing Hindi.
Read: Kanimozhi’s experience not unusual, have faced similar taunts, says P Chidambaram
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