Bengaluru autos
Credit: DH Photo/ Pushkar V
Two weeks ago, an Instagram reel that went viral suggested that auto drivers demand higher fares from Hindi speakers than from Kannada speakers. The video was created by social media influencers Nitin Sequeira and Cassy Pereira. It has garnered over 1 crore views.
Over the course of two days, Metrolife carried out a similar experiment across the city, to check if this was true. Two members of the team approached auto drivers. While one spoke to them in Kannada, the other followed a few seconds later and asked the same driver for a ride in Hindi. Of the 25-odd drivers we spoke to, not one wanted to go by the metre. Here’s what we found.
Malleswaram
At 10 am, for a trip from Malleswaram to Koramangala, auto drivers quoted between Rs 200 and Rs 350.
Of the five auto drivers Metrolife spoke to, only one person quoted different prices on the basis of the language spoken. He quoted Rs 350 when asked in Hindi, and Rs 300 when asked in Kannada. After a bit of haggling in Kannada, he reduced the price to Rs 280.
An auto ride from Malleswaram to Koramangala on ride aggregator apps costs between Rs 200 and Rs 250.
M G Road
Around 4 pm, for a trip from M G Road to Indiranagar, on average the auto drivers quoted around Rs 80 to Rs 200. Two auto drivers refused the trip when asked in Kannada, but both were on board when asked in Hindi. One quoted Rs 80 and the other Rs 150.
The 5 km ride costs between Rs 85 to Rs 106 on ride-aggregator apps.
Indiranagar
For a 3 km-trip from 100ft road in Indiranagar to Kodihalli, at 7 pm, most auto drivers quoted Rs 100.
Irrespective of the language, they quoted Rs 100 on average, while the same distance costs Rs 65 to Rs 75 on ride-aggregator apps.
Rajajinagar
For a trip from Lulu Hypermarket in Rajajinagar to Jayanagar, at 12 pm, most auto drivers quoted Rs 200 on average. They maintained the same price for both Hindi and Kannada passengers. On ride aggregator apps, the trip costs between Rs 130 to Rs 195
Problem of generalisation
Manavi Atri, lawyer, Campaign Against Hate Speech (Karnataka), sheds light on the impact of social media. “A simple reel can lead to the creation of stereotypes. Hindi speakers might start believing that all auto drivers charge them extra. Such generalisation can be harmful,” she says.
Similar content has been doing the rounds for quite some time, says Arun Javgal, state organisation
secretary, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike. “Since we’ve been vocal about Hindi imposition in the state, there
has been a constant effort to malign Bengaluru and create a stereotype that we are unwelcoming. If that is
the case, why have so many migrants settled here?” he adds.
‘No intention to malign auto drivers'
Nitin Sequeira, who posted the video with his friend Cassy on Instagram on August 24, says the intention behind the video was to get people to learn Kannada slang and speak in the local language. “I’m a Kannadiga. Having lived in Bengaluru all my life, I’ve noticed how differently auto drivers treat locals and outsiders. The idea was not to generalise or malign auto drivers. Most people have taken away a positive message from the
video. In the comments, they have shared how learning Kannada has benefitted them,” shares the 24-yearold content creator. He has 84,000 followers on Instagram, and Cassy has over 1.18 lakh followers.