• Source:JND
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Bengaluru News: A State Bank of India (SBI) official posted in Bengaluru has been transferred after a video of her refusing to speak Kannada with a customer went viral. The incident took place at the SBI branch in Surya Nagara, located in Anekal taluk.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah confirmed the transfer on Tuesday. He criticised the branch manager's conduct, calling it unacceptable and emphasised the importance of respecting the local language.

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In a post on X, Siddaramaiah wrote, “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.”

The Chief Minister added that such incidents should not happen again. He urged all bank staff working in Karnataka to make an effort to communicate in Kannada. Siddaramaiah also appealed to the Union Finance Ministry and the Department of Financial Services (DFS) to introduce mandatory training in local language and cultural sensitivity for bank employees across the country.

The controversy erupted after a video surfaced showing the SBI official denying a customer's request to speak in Kannada. When the customer pointed out that they were in Karnataka, the official replied, “You have not given me employment,” and further stated, “This is India.” She also insisted that she would speak in Hindi and not Kannada, which sparked outrage online.

The incident reignited discussions around the Kannada language and its use in government and public services. Pro-Kannada groups have long demanded that migrants working in Karnataka learn and use the local language, while others argue that no one should be forced to speak a particular language.

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The SBI official’s remarks were also criticised by BJP MP from Bengaluru South, Tejasvi Surya. He said, “This behaviour by the SBI branch manager is simply not acceptable. Bank staff must communicate in the language understood by customers. Being stubborn in such situations is wrong.”

Surya added that he had raised this issue several times in Parliament and with concerned authorities, pushing for a rule that ensures bank staff are familiar with the local language. He urged the bank to follow the DFS policy and take strict action in this case.