A Bengaluru-based software engineer employed at Google recently took to LinkedIn to share an experience that reignited India’s ongoing language debate. According to Arpit Bhayani, he was denied a parking spot simply because he had requested someone to move in Hindi.
“Today, I was denied parking just because I asked the person to move aside in Hindi,” Bhayani wrote in his post, which has since gained traction on social media.
Using the incident to make a broader point, Bhayani questioned the authenticity of efforts to preserve regional languages. “To everyone talking about preserving language and culture, whether in Maharashtra, Karnataka, or any other state, are you actually enrolling your children in schools that teach in the regional language, or are they studying in English-medium schools?” he asked.
He argued that English is already dominating India’s communication landscape, particularly among the youth. “The younger generation today is far more comfortable speaking in English than in their mother tongue. Cities are seeing this more, and rural areas will catch up,” Bhayani noted.
He emphasized that English has become deeply ingrained in everyday Indian life — from schools and workplaces to advertisements and apps. “So, why not just make English a mandatory language?” he questioned.
“A good fraction of people are halfway there or have some familiarity with the English language for the above reasons,” he added, suggesting that adopting English as a national standard could ease inter-state communication and help the country focus on more pressing issues such as infrastructure, job creation, healthcare, and climate change. “If English were to become one language, then it would be easier to communicate across states and people would stop wasting time-fighting over language politics and would shift to real problems like better infrastructure, more jobs and employment, research and innovation, cleanliness, climate change, healthcare, corruption, and urban planning,” he stated.
The post drew swift reactions from social media users. One user praised Bhayani’s calm response: “You did the right thing by walking away from that person, not out of fear or weakness but out of clarity, wisdom and timing.. Kudos bro!”
Another user expressed concern over deepening social divides: “I don’t know where this radicalisation will stop, first it was based religion then caste, now state and language differences are becoming new issues, at the time when AI revolution is going on, our country is still stuck in these primitive problems.”
Some echoed Bhayani’s sentiment, with one user commenting, “It’s time for India to choose officially one language that will cause no issue between two speakers. No one can leave their regional language, but can be agree on English language. And anyway Indian education and job sector is pushing youth for English. Most of the renowned and brilliant mind goes to West for better opportunities.”
This language-related incident emerged just days after a controversy involving a State Bank of India manager in Bengaluru, who allegedly refused to speak Kannada with a customer. Following the uproar, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah called on Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to ensure bank employees receive proper language sensitivity training.
