Bengaluru college dismisses hostel warden over "speak Kannada at home" remark
Bengaluru: An engineering college in Bengaluru has dismissed a hostel warden after a video surfaced online showing him allegedly instructing students not to speak Kannada on campus, triggering strong backlash and protests from pro-Kannada groups, NDTV reported on Monday.
The incident took place at AMC Engineering College on Bannerghatta Road, where the warden of the boys’ hostel, identified as Suresh P V, was recorded telling students in Hindi: "If you want to speak in Kannada, do it at home."
In the video, which was reportedly recorded by a student, the warden is also heard claiming that students needed prior permission from the college administration to speak Kannada inside the campus. The remarks sparked outrage, with activists and Kannada organisations condemning them as disrespectful to the state language and local culture.
Following protests by pro-Kannada groups at the college gates, the administration dismissed the warden with immediate effect.
In a dismissal order issued by the college principal reportedly said, "Considering the gravity of the complaint regarding the incident at the AMC Boys Hostel, you are hereby dismissed from your duties as Hostel Warden with immediate effect, in the best interest of the institution."
"You are directed to hand over the charge, records, and hostel-related responsibilities to the concerned authority immediately. This order comes into force with immediate effect," the notice said.
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Chose different path but did not break relationship: Uddhav Thackeray on Ajit Pawar
Mumbai (PTI): Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Wednesday condoled Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's death in a plane crash, and said even though the NCP chief chose a different path in politics, he did not let their relationship suffer.
In a post on X, the former chief minister said in Pawar's death, he has lost a steadfast leader and an excellent former cabinet colleague.
As finance minister, Pawar was an extremely disciplined leader with a firm grip on his department, he said.
Ajit Pawar had served as deputy CM in the Uddhav Thackeray-led government from 2019 to 2022.
"We developed a special bond as colleagues. Ajit Pawar was open-hearted. He would speak his mind. He was not someone who held a grudge for long. Even though he chose a different path in politics, he did not let our relationship break," Uddhav Thackeray said.
Pawar broke away from the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance of the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress in 2023 and joined the BJP-led NDA, a move which split the Nationalist Congress Party.
He was known as a leader who valued his party workers, and he was truly a 'Dada' (elder brother), Thackeray said, as he offered tributes to Ajit Pawar on behalf of the Thackeray family and Shiv Sena (UBT).
His son and former minister Aaditya Thackeray described Pawar's death as shocking. "Words fail me," he said, adding that he had the opportunity to work with Ajit Pawar for five-six years, first in the government and then in the opposition.
"His commanding grip on legislative affairs and his affectionate nature won over many like me. Even when I was in the opposition, I had publicly said this many times," Aaditya said.
एक खंबीर नेता व माझ्या मंत्रिमंडळातील मी उमदा सहकारी गमावला!
— Office of Uddhav Thackeray (@OfficeofUT) January 28, 2026
मी मुख्यमंत्री असताना अजित पवार हे उपमुख्यमंत्री, अर्थमंत्री होते. अत्यंत शिस्तप्रिय, आपल्या खात्यावर वचक व अर्थ विभागाचा अभ्यास असणारे ते नेते होते. एक उत्तम सहकारी म्हणून त्यांचे माझे विशेष नाते जमले. अजित पवार हे…
