‘If this language nonsense…', says founder on shifting firm from Bengaluru to Pune
An entrepreneur announced his plans to shut his Bengaluru office and relocate operations to Pune following the language row that reared up again in Karnataka recently. The post and the intent comes following a viral video that showed a State Bank of India (SBI) official refusing to speak to a customer in Kannada. Kaushik Mukherjee, in a post on social media platform X, said the move stemmed directly from his team's concerns about regional language dispute. 'This idea was mooted by the staff themselves,' he wrote. 'I agreed to their POV (point of view).'advertisementHe said his team raised concerns about language-related hostility following the video from an SBI branch in Anekal taluk, Bengaluru.
'If this language nonsense is to continue, I do not want my non-Kannada speaking staff to be the next 'victim',' Mukherjee said in his tweet. His statement reflects growing anxiety among professionals working in Karnataka, particularly those not fluent in the local language.
The widely circulated video from SBI's Suryanagar branch in Bengaluru's Chandapura area shows a manager repeatedly refusing to speak Kannada with a customer. She can be heard arguing, 'Do I have to speak in Kannada? Is it mandatory? Where is it written? Show me the rules.'advertisementAfter the video caused public outrage, the SBI in a statement announced the official had been transferred. The incident also drew immediate political attention. BJP MP Tejaswi Surya called the manager's conduct 'unacceptable' and insisted that fluency in Kannada be mandatory for customer-facing roles in the state. 'Banks working in Karnataka should serve customers in Kannada. Period,' he said, adding that he had raised the issue with central authorities.Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also weighed in, condemning the bank manager's actions and supporting the State Bank of India's decision to transfer her. 'The matter may now be treated as closed,' he said in a statement on X.Despite the transfer, Kannada organisations staged protests outside the bank branch, demanding stronger action against the manager. A new video of the same staffer surfaced online on Thursday, this time showing her apologising in Kannada.
IN THIS STORY#Karnataka#Bengaluru
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