CM Siddaramaiah slams SBI manager for refusing to speak Kannada

In a post on X, Siddaramaiah said that all bank employees should treat customers with dignity and make every effort to communicate in the local language

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday condemned the conduct of an SBI branch manager in Bengaluru for allegedly refusing to speak in Kannada and arguing with a customer over it.

 

The matter flared up when a purported video of an SBI branch manager in Anekal taluk went viral on social media, on Tuesday, in which she is arguing with a customer saying, “I will not speak in Kannada for sure.......but Hindi”.

 

Despite the customer citing Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulations — which requires bank staff to communicate in the regional language — the manager can be heard repeatedly declining to do so. 

Referring to the incident, CM said, “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.”

 

 

He further appreciated SBI’s swift action in transferring the official. “The matter may now be treated as closed,” he said, adding that such incidents must not recur. 

 

“All bank employees must treat customers with dignity and make every effort to speak in the local language. I urge the Ministry of Finance & Dept of Financial Services to mandate cultural and language sensitisation training for all bank staff across India. Respecting the local language is respecting the people,” Siddaramaiah posted on X.

 

The episode comes amid simmering linguistic tensions in several states, including Karnataka and Maharashtra, where local language advocates have pushed back against what they see as Hindi imposition. They demand that people living in or moving to these states for work should make an effort to communicate in the regional language.