'Bengaluru is Bengaluru because of North Indians': Woman's comment triggers mixed reactions; Netizens say, 'I don't see anything wrong'

A video featuring a woman claiming that "Bengaluru is Bengaluru because of North Indians" has sparked an online debate about the city’s culture and its interactions with migrants. Shared on X, the clip captures the woman responding to a question about the "cultural shock" she faced after moving to Bengaluru from North India.

"I don't know about the cultural shock, but people here do hate North Indians. That's what I observed," she remarked, sharing her perspective.

The woman further alleged that North Indians in Bengaluru are often treated differently, with some locals referring to them as "these Hindi people."

"I observe people behaving differently when they get to know that someone is from North India. Autowalas charge us higher prices, and people call us 'these Hindi people.' We've been addressed as Hindi people many times," she explained.

"I love this city, absolutely, and would want to visit again, but the fact that when they see outsiders, they behave differently with you. Especially when Bengaluru is what it is because of North Indians coming here to a large extent. And still, people have a hard time accepting it," she added. 

The clip, shared on the microblogging platform on Saturday, has since gained significant attention, amassing over 691,000 views and nearly 5,000 likes. The comments section reflected a variety of opinions, with some users supporting the woman’s perspective, while others highlighted the importance of attitude in shaping perceptions.

"I don't see anything wrong in her statement! And that's how it should be! Kannadigas travel to other places as well—in and out of the country—and they don't face this kind of hate in the north! Even if they are having a hard time speaking Hindi, most people do adjust with them," one user wrote in agreement.

Another commented, "Most of the well-established companies or startup founders and employees in Bangalore are from other parts of India. She is not wrong. This should not have been a point of discussion in the first place. Why this unwanted divide in the name of language? I see local Kannadigas are the ones falling prey to this divisive politics since the Karnataka election."

A third user echoed similar sentiments, stating, "I mean the amount of North Indians running Bangalore is astonishing. She is not wrong."

One user argued, "Attitude! This is the main reason people call them outsiders and treat them differently. Autowalas charge them more, and bhajiwalas do the same. A Bihari friend of mine is very humble, has picked up some Kannada, and interacts in broken Kannada—he gets lower prices than me."

Another commented, "I agreed with her entirely until that last sentence. You can't credit only North Indians for what Bengaluru is today. At the same time, it's undeniable that there is hostility from locals towards non-Kannadigas."