So, it is not Hindi as a language or even in popular culture that is the problem. The red rag is the perceived attitude of the Hindi-speaking population. Yes, Kannadigas have a reputation for being accommodative and all that, but that does not mean there is no need to learn their language even after years of staying in Bengaluru. There are innumerable anecdotal evidences of people living in the city for decades and still unable to speak the language, leave alone read or write in it.

Many among Hindi speakers feel that the locals need to learn what they believe is the “national language”. A senior editor of an English daily recounted an instance in a vegetable market – a Hindi-speaking woman was haggling with a vendor. Unable to figure out what the vendor was saying, she burst out with righteous indignation, demanding that she learn Hindi. At this, the editor who could no longer control himself, turned to the woman and said, “Ma’am, you are in her state. You should learn Kannada... not ask her to learn Hindi”.