Bengaluru News: A pro-Kannada activist has raised concerns over the celebration of Onam at the Infosys campus in Bengaluru, labelling it a “threat to Kannada culture.” The activist, identified as Kari Subbayya on the social media platform X, shared a video showing an Onam dance taking place at the Infosys's Bengaluru office.

In his post, Subbayya questioned how such celebrations could be overlooked in Karnataka, stating, “This is Infosys Bengaluru. How can this still be taken lightly?” Onam, an important festival primarily celebrated in Kerala, has faced scrutiny from some Kannadigas who believe its festivities undermine local culture.

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Subbayya expressed worries about the increasing number of migrants from Kerala, suggesting their presence poses a risk to the Kannada demographic. He wrote, “They will never keep quiet & definitely start injecting their culture, especially high influx of migrants from KL... causing a high threat to Kannada demography.”

His comments have sparked a heated debate on X, attracting over half a million views. While some users supported his stance, many others criticised him for promoting regionalism. One user questioned, “What is stopping the Kannadigas in Infosys from organising a similar celebration for Ugadi? You’re just hate mongering here!”

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Another user countered, “So do Infosys offices in Kerala and Tamil Nadu celebrate Dasara or Ugadi in the same manner? Why should we celebrate a Kerala festival in a Karnataka office?”

This isn’t the first instance of opposition to Onam in Karnataka. Earlier this month, a Bengaluru woman expressed her discontent with BigBasket for including free flowers with her order during the Onam festival.