A social media post calling non-Kannada speakers in Bengaluru as "outsiders" has started a big debate online. The post was directed at people coming to the city and ended with a message that "Bengaluru belongs to Kannadigas."

The viral post said, "If you come to Bengaluru and don’t speak Kannada or try to learn it, you will be treated as outsiders. Share this message. Bengaluru belongs to Kannadigas, period."

This post was shared by a user named ‘Manju’ on September 6, and it has gotten over 5.5 million views and around six thousand comments.

Some people criticized the post, while others supported Manju. One user commented that respect should go both ways, saying it takes time to learn a new language. Another person pointed out that when people from South India come to North India, they are treated as fellow Indians, regardless of language.

A different commenter shared their experience of living in Bengaluru for 8 years, saying they never felt like an outsider despite not speaking Kannada well and that most Kannadigas are friendly. Others said this post discouraged them from learning Kannada.

Lastly, another person sarcastically noted that when people from Bengaluru travel to other towns, they don't have to learn the local language and are still respected.