Class, privilege, not just language, behind Bengaluru auto driver conflicts: Report
Bengaluru: Recent incidents involving auto drivers and passengers in Bengaluru have been generally reported as language conflicts between Kannada and Hindi speakers. However, anthropologist Usha Rao suggested that class and privilege, rather than mere linguistic differences, often lie at the heart of these tensions.
Many auto drivers in Bengaluru are either fluent in Hindi or able to communicate in basic Hindi, but Rao believes the city's rapid growth has led to widening language gaps, as reported by Deccan Herald on Monday.
Rao noted that the conflicts often stem from issues of class. As Bengaluru’s economic inequality grows, tensions between different groups intensify, with Kannada becoming a tool for auto drivers to assert their identity. She further added that the migration boom in Bengaluru has resulted in massive language gaps.
Kannada activist Ganesh Chetan argued that the insistence on speaking Hindi in everyday interactions can feel like an "outright provocation" to many Kannadigas. “It is seen more now, as Kannada activism has grown and become more assertive. When you go to live in France, you are expected to learn French, and we expect the same here," he was quoted as saying by the publication.
While an Instagram survey suggested that drivers charged higher fares to Hindi-speaking passengers, a dipstick survey by Deccan Herald revealed that they demand higher fares, but do not discriminate on the basis of language.
Many auto drivers stressed that respect, rather than language, is what truly matters in their interactions with passengers. One driver remarked that they simply expect basic courtesy, while another emphasised that, regardless of whether it’s Kannada or Hindi, “respect begets respect.”
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Patna-bound IndiGo flight makes emergency landing at Lucknow due to bad weather
Lucknow (PTI): Adverse weather forced an IndiGo Kolkata-Patna flight to make an emergency landing at Lucknow airport on Friday, airport sources said.
According to airport officials, weather conditions in Patna deteriorated suddenly on Friday afternoon, affecting flight operations.
IndiGo flight 6E 6917 from Kolkata, which was scheduled to land in Patna at 3.50 pm, could not land due to bad weather and kept circling in the air after failing to get clearance from air traffic control, they said.
The flight was later diverted to Lucknow and landed safely at the Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport at around 5.15 pm. There were 180 passengers and six crew members on board, officials said.
The aircraft was later allowed to depart for Patna after weather conditions improved.
