Disclaimer: This post was written back in 2012 when the situation was not as bad as it is now in 2016. This is now part of a larger issue with the displeasure of the local population in the amount of people moving into Bengaluru from other parts of the country. And is now a very sensitive topic. Please consider the following rant as something that was written with the year 2012 in context. It is not meant to hurt anyone at all.
I don't know why I am probably the last person to get this information (probably cos' I haven't touched a Newspaper since long now). It seems some politician in Karnataka came up with this genius idea that everyone who is in Bangalore for a year has to pass the VII grade exams for Kannada language.
I say, this is ridiculous. Don't get me wrong. I have utmost respect for the language, the city, the state, and its people! And during my years here, I have managed to speak enough Kannada (out of my own interest) to bargain at shops, with autowallahs, and to ask for directions. But do you not feel that this is a little extreme?