SBI Manager Language Row: ‘This is India, I’ll speak Hindi, not Kannada’ sparks outrage in Karnataka
A recent incident at a State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Karnataka has ignited a heated debate over language sensitivity in public services. The controversy centers around a female officer at the Surya Nagar branch in Anekal Taluk, who reportedly refused to speak Kannada during an interaction with a customer, sparking widespread backlash on social media.
Video footage of the incident, which has gone viral, shows the officer repeatedly declining to communicate in the state’s official language, despite persistent requests from the customer. The customer, who is heard saying, ‘This is Karnataka, madam,’ is reportedly told by the officer, ‘This is India.’ When asked to speak Kannada, the officer asserts, ‘I will not speak Kannada for you… I will speak Hindi.’ The exchange escalates, with the officer walking away after declaring, ‘I will never speak Kannada.’
The incident has drawn attention from various quarters, with users on social media tagging the Union Finance Minister and the Reserve Bank of India, accusing the staffer of imposing Hindi, misbehaving with customers, and ignoring RBI guidelines. One user claimed the woman was ‘disrespecting the Kannada language’ and demanded immediate action.
Following the uproar, the SBI officer issued an apology in Kannada with the help of a colleague, stating, ‘If I have hurt anyone, I sincerely apologise. I will try to conduct business in Kannada going forward.’ The apology came after the incident was widely shared online, prompting a swift response from Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
In a statement on X, Siddaramaiah condemned the official’s conduct as ‘strongly condemnable.’ He wrote, ‘The behaviour of the SBI Branch Manager in Surya Nagara, Anekal Taluk refusing to speak in Kannada and English and showing disregard to citizens is strongly condemnable.’ The chief minister also acknowledged SBI’s decision to transfer the official and urged the Finance Ministry to prevent such incidents from recurring.
‘Respecting local language is respecting the people,’ Siddaramaiah added, emphasizing the importance of cultural and language sensitivity in public service. He called for mandatory training for all bank employees across India to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.
The incident has sparked a broader conversation about the role of language in public services and the need for inclusivity in customer interactions. While the SBI has taken steps to address the issue, the controversy highlights the ongoing challenges in ensuring that public sector employees respect and accommodate the linguistic diversity of the country.