📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / SerChevalerie
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Zomato staffer in Bengaluru orders team to learn Hindi or quit, video goes viral
✍️ indiatoday.in
🗓 06 Oct 2026, 08:18 AM
👁 14
A Zomato employee in Bengaluru told colleagues they must speak Hindi or leave, a video of the incident sparked a heated debate online.
A video captured inside a Zomato office in Bengaluru shows a staff member addressing his team, demanding that they either become proficient in Hindi or resign. The clip, posted on social media, quickly amassed thousands of views and ignited a polarized conversation about language policy in the workplace.
The employee’s remarks have been condemned by several employee rights groups, who argue that imposing a language requirement infringes on personal freedoms and could marginalise non‑Hindi speaking staff. Zomato has not issued an official statement yet, but sources close to the company say internal discussions are underway to address the fallout.
The incident arrives at a time when many Indian firms are grappling with linguistic diversity across their workforce. Legal experts note that while companies can set reasonable communication standards, any directive that forces employees to adopt a specific language without clear justification may run afoul of labour regulations.
Social media users remain divided, with some supporting the push for a common language to streamline operations, while others view it as an exclusionary practice. The debate is expected to continue as more details emerge.
The employee’s remarks have been condemned by several employee rights groups, who argue that imposing a language requirement infringes on personal freedoms and could marginalise non‑Hindi speaking staff. Zomato has not issued an official statement yet, but sources close to the company say internal discussions are underway to address the fallout.
The incident arrives at a time when many Indian firms are grappling with linguistic diversity across their workforce. Legal experts note that while companies can set reasonable communication standards, any directive that forces employees to adopt a specific language without clear justification may run afoul of labour regulations.
Social media users remain divided, with some supporting the push for a common language to streamline operations, while others view it as an exclusionary practice. The debate is expected to continue as more details emerge.