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Royal Challengers Bengaluru is drawing fire for launching a Hindi account on X, with a section of social media users accusing the IPL franchise of imposing Hindi on Kannada speakers. Another section of fans, however, defended the move, saying that RCB has a global fan base and the Hindi account caters to the team's diverse supporters.
RCB, which has English and Kannada accounts on X, launched a Hindi account on Sunday. It currently has over 2,500 followers. One of its first posts was a video in which RCB's ace cricketer Virat Kohli, in a Hindi message, shares his joy at being retained by the franchise. The post's caption said RCB's videos are now available in Hindi too.
In the comments section, many users slammed the IPL franchise for launching the Hindi handle. While some said this had disrespected the Kannada culture, others asked RCB to move to north India. Some users said RCB must remove Bengaluru from its name, while others questioned why the Hindi account was needed.
Another section of fans, however, welcomed the move and said some people are trying to divide the fans. Some said Hindi is widely used across the country and this move brings RCB closer to Hindi-speaking fans.
The hate against RCB is the latest in the ongoing language row in Karnataka where local Kannada speakers are opposing what they call attempts to impose Hindi. Hindi speakers, on the other hand, have complained of linguistic harassment in Bengaluru, with many social media posts claiming that auto-rickshaw drivers would insist that they talk in Kannada.
Earlier this year, the Bengaluru civic body asked all shopkeepers to ensure signboards have at least 60 per cent Kannada content. Several shops were targeted by pro-Kannada activists, sparking massive outrage on social media.