'You north Indians come here for jobs, then disrespect us': BJP leader Pratap Simha on Bengaluru road rage row

Pratap Simha accused North Indian migrants of exploiting Bengaluru’s opportunities without respecting its culture.

Amid growing tensions following a recent road rage incident in Bengaluru involving an IAF officer and a local biker, former BJP MP Pratap Simha has delivered a scathing response that has triggered sharp debate on regional identity, migration, and linguistic pride.

BJP MP Pratap Simha calls for a state-wide protest over Congress’s poll promisies. (ANI)

Reacting to the controversy, Simha lashed out at what he termed as a "deliberate media narrative" targeting Kannadigas, particularly blaming Delhi-based outlets for portraying locals as oppressors. "These North Indians don’t behave like this in Chennai. Why? Why don’t they go to Kerala looking for jobs?" he asked in a provocative statement that’s now widely circulated on social media.

Simha accused North Indian migrants of exploiting Bengaluru’s opportunities without respecting its culture. "You North Indians come to Bengaluru because you have no better livelihood options elsewhere. Don’t test the patience of Kannadigas," he warned.

He also took a firm stand on the long-standing language debate. “You live in this city for decades together for education and jobs. What is wrong in learning the local language? We are not asking you to read or write, just learn the basics. If you don’t want our language, stay back in your city.”

All about road rage case:

An FIR has been registered against the 40-year-old IAF officer on charges of attempt to murder, criminal intimidation and voluntarily causing hurt based on a counter-complaint by a call centre employee, who was previously arrested on the officer's complaint in a road rage incident, police said on Tuesday.

Shiladitya Bose, a Wing Commander on Monday, recorded a video showing himself bleeding and claimed that he was attacked while he was en route to the airport along with his wife in their car, by the call centre employee (Vikas Kumar), who was on his bike.

The officer who accused the biker of abusing him and his wife in Kannada, also goes on in the video to allege that the people gathered there too "abused" him and his wife accusing them of being wrong. "...this is what Karnataka has become, I believed in Kannada, but seeing the truth, the reality of main heartland Karnataka, I couldn't believe it. God help us..." he said.

Police subsequently registered a case against the call centre employee, based on a complaint from Bose's wife, Squadron Leader Madhumita Dutta, and he was later arrested.

However, CCTV footage from cameras in the vicinity of the incident that surfaced later revealed that Bose had assaulted Kumar. The footage that went viral showed Bose knocking Kumar down and also repeatedly kicking him.

The incident has triggered sharp public reactions and renewed debate on language politics and regional tensions in the city.

(With PTI inputs)