A warden at a private engineering college in Bengaluru has been arrested by the police after a video of him allegedly ordering students to speak only in Hindi inside the hostel went viral, igniting a major controversy over language rights.
The Confrontation That Sparked the Row
The incident occurred on January 1 at the boys' hostel of AMC Engineering College. According to the First Information Report (FIR), the warden, Suresh P V, 48, confronted a student regarding the cleaning of a room. During this exchange, the student questioned Suresh about an alleged restriction on speaking languages other than Hindi within the hostel premises.
In response, Suresh reportedly shouted, "If you want to speak Kannada, go to your home and do it. Don't do it here." Later, when a group of students asserted that communicating in their mother tongue was their right, Suresh allegedly retorted, "I will decide whether you should speak in Kannada or Hindi." Unbeknownst to him, the students had secretly recorded the entire altercation on video.
Viral Video Leads to Protests and Arrest
Once the video was uploaded on social media, it quickly went viral, drawing widespread condemnation. Kannada activists staged protests in front of the college and hostel, demanding strict action against the warden. Following the uproar, a formal complaint was filed at the Bannerghatta police station on Monday by an individual named Mahesh Hatti.
The Bengaluru rural district police acted swiftly, arresting Suresh P V, a native of Kerala who had been working at the hostel for the past three years. He has been booked under Sections 196 and 352 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. These sections pertain to promoting enmity between groups on grounds like language and insulting a person with intent to provoke a breach of peace.
Immediate Dismissal and Judicial Custody
The college administration took stringent disciplinary action in the wake of the incident. The principal issued a letter to Suresh, stating he was "dismissed from the duties of hostel warden with immediate effect" in the interest of the institution. He was directed to hand over all charge, records, and responsibilities immediately.
Suresh has been remanded to judicial custody, and the police investigation into the case is currently underway. The incident has highlighted the sensitive nature of language politics in Karnataka's capital, where the promotion of Kannada is a deeply held sentiment for many locals and activists.
