'Kannada first': SBI Branch Manager transferred after 'won't speak Kannada, this is India' response goes viral

A viral video allegedly showing a confrontation between an SBI bank official and a customer in Karnataka has reignited the ongoing language row. In the clip, the customer demands that the official speak in Kannada, to which she responds by refusing to use the local language. After facing widespread backlash, the official later issued an apology through a video message.

In the video, the man filming says, “This is Karnataka, ma’am,” to which the woman responds, “This is India.” She goes on to say, “I will not speak Kannada first,” and adds that her mother tongue is Hindi.

The incident has caused massive outrage on social media, with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah saying that the SBI Branch Manager has been transferred.


"The behaviour of the SBI Branch Manager in Surya Nagara, Anekal Taluk refusing to speak in Kannada & English and showing disregard to citizens, is strongly condemnable. We appreciate SBI’s swift action in transferring the official. The matter may now be treated as closed...I urge the Ministry of Finance & Dept of Financial Services to mandate cultural and language sensitisation training for all bank staff across India. Respecting local language is respecting the people," said Siddaramaiah in a post on X.

Read CM Siddaramaiah's post here

BJP's Tejasvi Surya responds:
In response to the indicent, Surya said "This behaviour by @TheOfficialSBI Branch Manager is simply not acceptable. If you are doing customer interface work in Karnataka, especially in a sector like banking , it is important to communicate to customers in the language they know."

"Being adamant like this is simply not right. I have time and again raised this issue of mandatorily posting local staff or staff who know the local language in banking operations, both inside and outside Parliament. Just a few weeks ago, at a Public Accounts Committee meeting, I had raised this issue to the DFS Secretary who assured me action will be taken to follow a office notification that makes this requirement of local language knowledge compulsory," said the BJP leader.

"Looks like this still isn’t being enforced properly. I urge the concerned at @TheOfficialSBI to immediately implement the DFS policy that mandates local language requirement. I have spoken to concerned authorities to take action against this manager who has behaved in this manner. Banks working in Karnataka should serve customers in Kannada. Period," added Surya.