India, March 21 -- A signboard at a local eatery in Bengaluru's Vidyaranyapura has sparked a fresh language debate in Karnataka's capital.

The board, which read "Hindi is the official language," was displayed at Sri Guru Darshan Cafe, drawing widespread backlash on social media and reigniting debates over linguistic identity.

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The sign quickly caught the attention of netizens, with many questioning its intent and accusing it of being provocative. Several users on X (formerly Twitter) expressed outrage, asserting that Kannada is the official language of Karnataka, while Hindi and English are only official at the national level.

One user wrote, ...