Tech billionaire Elon Musk reacted to a signboard at London's Whitechapel station written in the Bengali language. United Kingdom politician Rupert Lowe shared an image on X (formerly Twitter), arguing that station names should be displayed "in English, and English only". The images showed "Whitechapel Station" written in two languages - English and Bengali. 

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Musk reposted the images with an affirmation. He wrote, "Yes". , 

Lowe, who is a Member of Parliament for Great Yarmouth, shared a post, captioning: "This is London - station name should be in English and English only." 

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Ever since Musk weighed in on the issue, some users on social media platforms seemed confused as to why it was written in Bengali. 

Traditionally, East London's Whitechapel has been a hub for British Bangladeshis who played a significant role in the Whitechapel community. 

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In 2022, Transport for London (TfL) unveiled the Bengali signs to honour the cultural legacy of British Bangladeshis. 

Chief Minister of the Indian state of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, had hailed the move, calling it a "victory of our culture and heritage". 

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In a post on X in March 2022, she wrote, "Proud to note that the London Tube Rail has accepted Bengali as a language of signage at Whitechapel Station, signifying the increasing global importance and strength of the 1000-year-old language." 

"It underlines that the diaspora should work together in common cultural directions. It is a victory of our culture and heritage," she added. 

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How people reacted? 

However, what was once considered an inclusive approach has now become a matter of discussion in London, especially after Lowe's post. 

The post has triggered a debate with users weighing in their opinions. One user supported Lowe's thoughts and wrote, "Couldn't agree more Rupert, it's time to stand up for our national identity and language. We shouldn't be pandering to every other culture at the expense of our own, it's just common sense. Well said, keep speaking out against this woke nonsense." 

Some users spoke against it. One said, "While I appreciate the sentiment imagine visiting Tokyo or Shanghai and not a single sign was written in English?" 

(With inputs from agencies)