A video showing a derogatory and abusive message against Kannadigas on the display board of a hotel in Koramangala, Bengaluru, circulated widely on social media, sparking significant public outrage.
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Following a complaint by Kannada activists, Madiwala police took swift action and detained the hotel’s manager and staff members in connection with the incident, according to The Hindu. The police have since removed the offending scroll from the hotel premises and launched an investigation into how the message was displayed.
The hotel owner, originally from Kerala and currently residing abroad, has claimed that the advertisement display board was manipulated by the person responsible for creating it. “The person who made the advertisement display board manipulated words to create the derogatory content,” he said.
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Suo motu
Following this, Madiwala police registered a suo motu case against the hotel staff under Section 196, which pertains to promoting enmity between different groups and acts prejudicial to public harmony. The police have also issued a notice to the owner, directing him to appear for questioning.
{{/usCountry}}Following this, Madiwala police registered a suo motu case against the hotel staff under Section 196, which pertains to promoting enmity between different groups and acts prejudicial to public harmony. The police have also issued a notice to the owner, directing him to appear for questioning.
{{/usCountry}}An investigation revealed that the hotel had contracted a Koramangala-based company to manage a variable message system for three years. The hotel management had reportedly complained to the company about receiving inconsistent messages on the board.
A police officer added that authorities have seized the variable message system and summoned the company executives to understand how the system operates and why this particular offensive message was generated.