Royal Challengers Bengalur’s Hindi social media account sparks cultural debate in Karnataka

Indian Premier League (IPL) team Royal Challengers Bengaluru launched its Hindi account (@RCBinHindi) on X in October this year. The Bio of the account reads “The Official Hindi Page of @RCBtweets on Twitter.”

However, the move has not gone down well with the Kannada speaking fans of the IPL franchise. Kannada is the predominant language of Karnataka, the state, which RCB belongs to.

There is a fear among the local population of Karnataka that Hindi is being forced upon them for many years. It is in this regard that some hardcore fans of the team felt the idea to have an X account of RCB purely dedicated in Hindi was in bad taste. These fans voiced their dissatisfaction on X. Some of these posts on X were heavily critical!

We don’t have any problem if the name Bengaluru is removed from the RCB franchise. Simple!

Bengaluru is the land of Kannadigas. Don’t try to play with our land. We can go to any extent to claim it@RCBTweets remove Hindi account or remove Bengaluru from your franchise name!

— ಚಂದನವನ | Chandanavana (@Chandana_vana) November 29, 2024

RCB has started social media accounts in Hindi

I stand in solidarity w/ vernacular activists opposing this Hindi imposition by private enterprises

Does Chennai Super Kings also have a Hindi account?

Hindi must not be imposed on KA just because we have been forced to learn it

— Chetan Kumar Ahimsa / ಚೇತನ್ ಅಹಿಂಸಾ (@ChetanAhimsa) November 28, 2024

#WATCH | Bengaluru | On backlash faced by RCB on launching X account in Hindi, State Organisation Secretary of KaRaVe, Arun Javgal says, “This is not an isolated issue. There is a Hindi imposition from the last 70 years. From banks and railway stations to passport offices, Hindi… pic.twitter.com/J9kapHvaMD

— ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2024

Dear RCB, if your strategy is to reach more people in multiple languages, change your name from Royal Challengers Bengaluru to something else. You are a Kannada team representing Karnataka not a pan- Indian team. Don’t disrespect Kannada identity in the name of outreach pic.twitter.com/YOBrYgeia8

— kannada yapper (@gotttillaa) November 28, 2024

As a proud Kannadiga and Bengaluru-based RCB fan, it’s disheartening to see our franchise using Hindi in their social media posts. Bengaluru represents Kannada culture and language, and RCB should respect this by prioritizing Kan-Eng in their communication.#stopHindiImposition

— Naveen | ನವೀನ್ (@naveen_gowda3) November 26, 2024

A Kannada team doesn’t need a Hindi account. Delete this account

— ಇಂದ್ರಜಿತ್।indrajith (@rajubdvt) November 26, 2024