<p>Bengaluru: The Bannerghatta police on Monday arrested a 54-year-old ex-serviceman, PV Suresh, for allegedly making derogatory remarks against students for speaking Kannada at AMC Engineering College.</p>.<p>The college management has dismissed Suresh from his position as hostel warden with immediate effect.</p>.<p>The incident began when a group of hostel students approached Suresh to complain about poor hygiene on the premises.</p>.<p>Police said Suresh, a native of Kerala, became angry when the students spoke in Kannada. He reportedly insisted they should not use the language on campus, telling them to "speak Kannada at home" and asserting that he would decide whether Hindi or Kannada should be used.</p>.<p>A video of the confrontation recorded by the students went viral on social media, prompting swift response from both the institution and local authorities.</p>.<p>By Monday afternoon, the college issued an official dismissal letter, stating Suresh was removed "in the interest of the institution".</p>.<p>The Bannerghatta police registered an FIR and arrested Suresh on Monday. He has since been remanded to judicial custody.</p>.<p>A senior officer confirmed that the warden's objection to the language, combined with his dismissal of student grievances about hygiene, led to the escalation.</p>.<p>The incident drew criticism from pro-Kannada organisations, who staged protests at the Bannerghatta Road campus.</p>.<p><strong>Linguistic tension</strong></p>.<p>Purushottama Bilimale, Chairperson of the Kannada Development Authority (KDA), sought an immediate report from the college principal, describing the event as part of an "intensifying language conflict".</p>.<p>Bilimale has called for the Higher Education Department to require private institutions to give preference to staff who are proficient in Kannada and respectful of local culture.</p>.<p>He also urged the government to establish mechanisms to monitor linguistic disputes in private schools and colleges.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: The Bannerghatta police on Monday arrested a 54-year-old ex-serviceman, PV Suresh, for allegedly making derogatory remarks against students for speaking Kannada at AMC Engineering College.</p>.<p>The college management has dismissed Suresh from his position as hostel warden with immediate effect.</p>.<p>The incident began when a group of hostel students approached Suresh to complain about poor hygiene on the premises.</p>.<p>Police said Suresh, a native of Kerala, became angry when the students spoke in Kannada. He reportedly insisted they should not use the language on campus, telling them to "speak Kannada at home" and asserting that he would decide whether Hindi or Kannada should be used.</p>.<p>A video of the confrontation recorded by the students went viral on social media, prompting swift response from both the institution and local authorities.</p>.<p>By Monday afternoon, the college issued an official dismissal letter, stating Suresh was removed "in the interest of the institution".</p>.<p>The Bannerghatta police registered an FIR and arrested Suresh on Monday. He has since been remanded to judicial custody.</p>.<p>A senior officer confirmed that the warden's objection to the language, combined with his dismissal of student grievances about hygiene, led to the escalation.</p>.<p>The incident drew criticism from pro-Kannada organisations, who staged protests at the Bannerghatta Road campus.</p>.<p><strong>Linguistic tension</strong></p>.<p>Purushottama Bilimale, Chairperson of the Kannada Development Authority (KDA), sought an immediate report from the college principal, describing the event as part of an "intensifying language conflict".</p>.<p>Bilimale has called for the Higher Education Department to require private institutions to give preference to staff who are proficient in Kannada and respectful of local culture.</p>.<p>He also urged the government to establish mechanisms to monitor linguistic disputes in private schools and colleges.</p>
