Bengaluru, Oct. 19 -- A social media controversy has erupted in Bengaluru over what some are calling a growing "outsider" narrative aimed at prominent city-based industrialists. The spark came after repeated references to the ethnic backgrounds of Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and former Infosys CFO TV Mohandas Pai, labelling them as "Gujarati" and "Konkani," respectively, in public discourse.

The online backlash began with a user calling out the trend as a "dog whistle," intended to paint the two business leaders as non-natives, despite their deep personal and professional roots in Bengaluru.

"Repeated references to 'Gujarati' & 'Konkani' before @kiranshaw & @TVMohandasPai's names are very much a dog whistle. It's to make them...