Chennai, Oct 19 (IANS): DMK MP Kanimozhi and others on Tuesday roasted food delivery company Zomato after one of its customer care agents told a complainant that Hindi is the "national language" and everybody should know a bit of it.

"The customer care of some companies operate only in select languages. It should be made mandatory for companies to serve their customers in their local language. A customer doesn't necessarily need to know Hindi or English. Hindi_Theriyathu_Poda," Kanimozhi tweeted without naming the listed company Zomato.

The controversy began after one Vikash with twitter handle @Vikash67456607 tweeted on Monday: "Ordered food in zomato and an item was missed. Customer care says amount can't be refunded as I didn't know Hindi. Also takes lesson that being an Indian I should know Hindi. Tagged me a liar as he didn't know Tamil. @zomato not the way you talk to a customer. @zomatocare."

Posting the screen shots of his conversation with the Zomato's customer care agent, Vikash had also tagged Kanimozhi and others.

The Zomato's customer care agent, who had conversed with Vikash in a polite manner, said there was a language barrier and said, "For your kind information Hindi is our national language. So it is very common that everybody should know Hindi little bit."

Several others too roasted Zomato and said they have uninstalled the app while some also took potshots at DMK pointing out that many of its leaders run schools that teach Hindi.

Be that as it may, Zomato on its part apologising to Vikash, said it had fired that agent and added that it is building a Tamil app and in the process of setting up a Tamil call/support centre in Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu.

"We understand food and language are core to any local culture and we take both of them seriously," Zomato tweeted in reply to Vikash.