In a language war between the center and southern states, a user on social media claimed that Hindi was removed from the display boards at the Bengaluru Airport. A short video clip recently circulated online, sparking widespread debate over language representation at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA). The video shows flight information display boards at the airport featuring only English and Kannada—without Hindi—raising allegations that Hindi had been intentionally removed.

"Today, a surprise awaited at the T1 terminal of Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. All the digital boards displaying flight information, flight arrival and departure schedules, and other information were only in English and Kannada," wrote the user who shared the video along with the video.

ಇಂದು ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ಕೆಂಪೆಗೌಡ ಅಂತಾರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ವಿಮಾನ ನಿಲ್ದಾಣದ T1 terminal ನಲ್ಲಿ ಒಂದು ಅಚ್ಚರಿ ಕಾದಿತ್ತು

ಎಲ್ಲಾ Digital ಬೋರ್ಡುಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ವಿಮಾನಗಳ ಹಾರಾಟದ ಮಾಹಿತಿ, ವಿಮಾನಗಳ ಬರುವ ಮತ್ತು ಹೊರಡುವ ವೇಳಪಟ್ಟಿ ಮತ್ತಿತರ ಮಾಹಿತಿಗಳು ಬರೀ English ಹಾಗು ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿತ್ತು ! #TwoLanguagePolicy@BLRAirport pic.twitter.com/FbaJhX5O7r

— ಗೌತಮ್ ಗಣೇಶ್ | Goutham Ganesh (@gouthamganeshmh) April 12, 2025

The video immediately went viral, with some social media users claiming the airport had purposefully left out Hindi, an official language of India. An online discussion concerning the video triggered strong debate where people clashed about regional pride as well as inclusion and language identity.

The Bangalore International Airport Limited (BIAL), which operates KIA, addressed these concerns through a released clarification. A BIAL executive stated  the airport permanently maintained all signs in Hindi. Rather, they clarified that flight details on electronic display boards are normally displayed in English and Kannada to meet the needs of most of the passengers, local and foreign.

Additionally, the wayfinding signage throughout the terminals is displayed in English, Kannada, and Hindi," a BIAL spokesperson was quoted as saying by The Times of India.

The controversy has reignited debate on the use of languages in public infrastructure—more specifically, in Karnataka,where language politics has been a touchy subject. There have been several public campaigns and political counter-responses to the imposition of Hindi in non-Hindi states over the years, particularly in the southern region of India.

Karnataka has always insisted on the predominance of Kannada in public and governmental spheres. In this regard, lack of Hindi on display boards at a big airport like KIA is perceived by some as an indicator of local linguistic assertion, whereas others view it as a lack of inclusivity.

However, BIAL emphasized that static boards and signage across the airport still retain multilingual communication, including Hindi, especially in areas like safety instructions, announcements, and emergency information. They further noted that the flight information display boards are dynamic and often updated for operational efficiency, and the choice of languages may vary depending on system design or display limitations.

Meanwhile, reactions online remained divided. Some welcomed the decision as a bolstering of local identity and pride in culture, while others expressed anxiety about the omission of one of India's most popular languages from a countrywide transport hub.

The airport authority had assured the public that they continue to be devoted to making the airport accessible and passenger-friendly for all passengers. BIAL further stated that they would continue assessing passenger feedback so as to make the airport communication systems better.

As the controversy over linguistic representation in public spaces remains ever-changing in India, this episode highlights the difficulties in reconciling regional pride with national diversity—especially in such diverse and dynamic locales as an international airport.