SBI Branch Manager refusal to speak Kannada in Karnataka triggers backlash; Transferred After Viral Video Sparks Outrage
SBI Branch Manager refusal to speak Kannada in Karnataka triggers backlash; Transferred After Viral Video Sparks Outrage
A bank official’s refusal to speak Kannada in Karnataka triggers backlash; CM Siddaramaiah, MP Tejasvi Surya demand policy enforcement.
A video showing a heated exchange between an SBI Branch Manager and a customer in Karnataka has gone viral, reigniting the debate around language sensitivity in public services. The official, posted at the Surya Nagara branch in Anekal Taluk, reportedly refused to speak in Kannada, asserting instead that “This is India” and insisting on using Hindi.
@TheOfficialSBI @RBI This is the behaviour of SBI bank manager surya nagar branch Anekal in Karnataka,customer is requesting to give service in Kannada,she is behaving so rude with the customer, says she will not speak in kannada,plz do check whether she is mentally fit for work pic.twitter.com/A357biSEYl
— ಕರ್ನಾಟಕ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರ ಸಮಿತಿ ಪಕ್ಷ-KRS Party (@krs_party) May 20, 2025
In the widely circulated video, the customer is heard saying, “This is Karnataka, ma’am,” prompting the manager’s controversial response: “This is India. I will not speak Kannada first. My mother tongue is Hindi.” The manager’s comments quickly triggered widespread outrage on social media.
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.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 21, 2025
We appreciate SBI’s swift action in transferring the official. The matter may now be treated as closed.…
Amid growing backlash, the manager later issued a video apology. However, the public reaction led to swift administrative action. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condemned the incident, confirming that the official has been transferred.
“The behaviour of the SBI Branch Manager in Surya Nagara, refusing to communicate in Kannada or English and disregarding citizens, is strongly condemnable. We appreciate SBI’s swift action in transferring the official. The matter may now be treated as closed,” the CM posted on X (formerly Twitter).
He further urged the Ministry of Finance and the Department of Financial Services (DFS) to introduce mandatory cultural and language sensitisation training for all bank staff nationwide, stating, “Respecting local language is respecting the people.”
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya also responded strongly to the episode, calling the manager’s behaviour “unacceptable.”
“If you’re working in a customer-facing role in Karnataka—especially in essential sectors like banking—communicating in the local language is non-negotiable,” Surya stated.
He highlighted that this was not the first time he had raised concerns over the lack of local language proficiency among bank staff, referencing a recent Public Accounts Committee meeting where he had flagged this issue to the DFS Secretary.
“The DFS already has a circular mandating knowledge of local language for bank postings. But this clearly isn’t being implemented properly. I urge SBI to immediately enforce this policy,” he added, noting that he had spoken to authorities to initiate disciplinary action against the manager.
“Banks working in Karnataka should serve customers in Kannada. Period,” Surya concluded.
The incident has added fresh fuel to the ongoing national debate over linguistic inclusion, particularly in public service and administrative roles in multilingual states.
