‘This is ridiculous’: New Zealand man slams Hindi advertisement on local bus in Christchurch

A Hindi real-estate advertisement on a New Zealand local bus created an online outrage.

A fresh language debate spilled onto the global stage after a New Zealand man publicly criticised a Hindi-language real estate advertisement displayed on a local bus in Christchurch. The post, shared on X, quickly went viral and triggered a sharp divide online over language, migration and multiculturalism in New Zealand.

The controversy began when a user with the X handle @KiwistreamNZ shared an image of the advertisement and questioned the use of Hindi in what he described as an English-speaking country. Calling the ad “ridiculous,” the user argued that such messaging did not belong in public spaces in New Zealand.

Seriously…NZ is an English speaking country. This shit is ridiculous… pic.twitter.com/IlLtQFUboC

— Kiwistream NZ (@KiwiStreamNZ) January 6, 2026

The viral image showed a real estate promotion by HouGarden, a platform catering to Asian communities in both Australia and New Zealand. The ad featured the Hindi line, “Ghar Ki Poori Jaankari, Ab Apni Bhasha Mein” translated as “All information about housing, now in your own language.”

The post sparked intense reactions, with several users linking the advertisement to rising migration, particularly from India. One commenter claimed that Western countries were facing what they described as an Indian problem. “We have a serious Indian problem in Western Civilization. It can no longer be excused or ignored. I wish it was the only problem. Be much easier,” a user said. Another shared personal observations from travelling across New Zealand, saying many eateries and businesses appeared to be owned or operated by Indians.

However, the backlash was met with strong pushbacks from others who defended the advertisement as normal, targeted marketing in a multicultural society. Several users pointed out that HouGarden primarily serves Asian homebuyers, arguing that advertising in relevant languages was neither unusual nor offensive.

Others highlighted that New Zealand has long promoted cultural diversity, with one user stating they were more concerned about debates over whether the country should be defined as bicultural or multicultural. Another commenter noted that even in India, despite hundreds of languages, public advertisements often default to English.