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Zomato Bengaluru warehouse supervisor's 'learn Hindi or leave' remark draws protests and a police complaint
A Zomato warehouse supervisor in Bengaluru apologised in Kannada after a video shared on October 5, 2026 showed him telling local staff to learn Hindi or leave. Pro-Kannada activists protested and a police complaint was filed. Zomato has not commented.
Why it matters for the brand
If you run warehouse or store teams in a multilingual market, this is a prompt to check that supervisors know language is not a hiring or retention test, that complaints have an escalation path, and that you can respond publicly within a day, because Zomato's silence is leaving the story to activists.
What to track next
- A Zomato statement or an announced action against the supervisor
- Police registering a formal case, or the complaint going unaddressed
- Protests or boycott calls aimed at other Zomato sites or at the app
- Comments from Karnataka ministers or political parties
- New videos or worker accounts of language pressure at other Zomato facilities
Likely next moves
Our read of what comes next — analysis, not reported by the source.
- Zomato is likely to issue a short statement distancing itself from the remark, probably alongside action against the supervisor, rather than staying silent.
- Pro-Kannada activist groups are likely to keep up pressure, with demands for a written company apology and assurances that local staff will not face language requirements.
- Bengaluru police are likely to look into the complaint through a preliminary inquiry. Any formal action would probably be slow and low-profile.
- Zomato may review language and communication norms at its Bengaluru warehouses, though it is unlikely to announce this publicly unless pressure grows.
- Rivals in quick commerce and food delivery may avoid commenting but stress local hiring and regional-language support if the story spreads.
Background
Later reports that look back at earlier events in this story, newest first. They add context; nothing on this page has changed.
Nishchal Maheshwari, 8 April: Zomato, Blinkit, Urban Company gain as consumption shifts to organised digital platforms
On the record
Earlier Zomato reports on RetailIntel, newest first.
The source
First seen