A Karnataka resident sparked a debate with his Bengaluru 鈥渄eserves the hate鈥 post online.
In a lengthy post on Reddit, the user claimed that he belonged to a tier-2 city in the state and has been living in Bengaluru for the last 6-7 years, and is now 鈥渄one defending鈥 the city.
Karnataka Man Shares His 鈥楤reaking Point鈥
He shared his experience with a bus conductor to highlight his 鈥渂reaking point鈥 and wrote, 鈥淚鈥檓 a Kannadiga and I鈥檓 done defending Bengaluru. This city deserves the hate it鈥檚 getting.鈥
He said that he was running late and the BMTC bus stopped at a signal, after which he knocked on the door to ask if he could get in. Since he was 鈥渙n an important call鈥, he followed the conductor鈥檚 gesture to enter through the front door.
鈥淭he conductor gestured for me to come near the front door, opened it, and then mocked me鈥攕aid something like, 鈥淪tylish agi phone hold maadi door knock maadthidiya ?鈥 and something else I didn鈥檛 fully catch,鈥 the user claimed.
I鈥檓 a Kannadiga and I鈥檓 done defending Bengaluru. This city deserves the hate it鈥檚 getting.
byu/PossibilityOk971 inBengaluru
He said that the remarks felt 鈥渦nnecessarily humiliating鈥 only for knocking on a bus door while holding a phone.
To back his point, the user said that this was not the first such incident of humiliation, adding that he has had similar experiences with auto drivers, metro staff as well.
He also linked their 鈥渞ude鈥 behaviour to his outfit. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 even more frustrating is that I鈥檝e been treated very differently depending on how I鈥檓 dressed. Ironically, the more well-dressed or 鈥減ut together鈥 I look, the worse the attitude becomes. On days when I鈥檓 in a simple kurta, with oiled hair, same calm body language鈥攏o issues. But when I look like I belong to a higher income group, that鈥檚 when the friction starts,鈥 he claimed.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not just me either鈥攎y friends and I have had this conversation, and we鈥檝e all noticed the same pattern. The moment we respond in Kannada and they realize we鈥檙e Kannadigas, their tone suddenly softens. It鈥檚 like they hesitate to keep up the hostility,鈥 the user said, adding that Bengaluru feels 鈥渋ncreasingly soulless鈥.
How People Responded?
People flooded in the comments section and shared their similar experiences related to treatment they get based on their appearance.
鈥淔aced the same problem but in road rage. Some nakken thought he owns the road and when reciprocated, he got down for a fight. The more well dressed, the worse the attitude. These idiots have started fighting with their own people. They then complain that northis have come here and are trying to ruin the culture,鈥 a user said.
鈥淔ew days ago, I was traveling by bus. The bus fare is 12 , 20 rupees, depending on which bus you take. Unfortunately my UPI was not working so I have him 50 rupees note, out of no where he started shouting on me (I didn鈥檛 understand what he said) and didn鈥檛 return the change,鈥 another user claimed.
鈥淭otally understand where you鈥檙e coming from. You鈥檙e not alone in feeling this many of us who are Kannadigas and have been in Bengaluru long enough have noticed this shift too. There鈥檚 a definite change in the public attitude, especially among people in service roles who interact with crowds all day. It鈥檚 like the city鈥檚 chaos has hardened everyone. What鈥檚 sad is that this isn鈥檛 about language barriers anymore. Even as fellow Kannadigas, we get the same coldness or passive-aggressive energy unless we 鈥渇it in鈥 a certain way either by dressing modestly, or appearing non-threatening. That鈥檚 not how a city should function,鈥 a user wrote.