Bengaluru Shocker: Farmer Denied Entry in Bengaluru's Namma Metro Over 'Dirty Clothes'

Bengaluru Latest News: In what might be termed as an effort to widen the rift between the wealthy and the impoverished,  authorities in Bengaluru recently barred a farmer from boarding the Namma metro as his 'clothes were not clean enough' to enter the train.  

In a video shared on X (previously Twitter), a man identified as Karthik C Airani was heard advocating for farmers while arguing with metro officials at the Rajajinagar metro station. He asked the officials if there was any dress code for commuters to utilize the transport service. 

"He is a farmer and has the required ticket to travel through the metro. He also does not have any items in his sack that are restricted from bringing into the metro. He only has clothes. There's no apparent rule mandating a dress code for commuters, prompting questions about the basis for his exclusion. Is this public transport restricted solely to VIPs?," Airani was heard arguing with an official in Kannada.  

Another commuter came forward to support the farmer's cause, asserting that denial of entry should only occur if he carried prohibited items. He referred to the official's actions as "blatant discrimination."

"The man is a farmer coming from a village. It is right to deny him entry only if he is in possession of materials that are barred from being brought to the metro service. We would also agree to your denial if the farmer possessed any such material but this is blatant discrimination,” the commuter said.

Official Suspended

As the video went viral on social media, Bengaluru Metro issued a statement and said that the security official involved in the incident had been suspended. They underlined the metro service's commitment to inclusivity for all commuters.