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Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Slams SBI Manager Over Kannada Language Row

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has addressed the controversy surrounding the use of Kannada at the State Bank of India (SBI) in Bengaluru. He criticized the bank manager's disrespectful behavior towards customers and called it inappropriate. Siddaramaiah emphasized that all bank employees should respect and communicate in the local language, especially when dealing with citizens. He stated that the SBI manager in Suryanagar was transferred after a video of her refusing to speak in Kannada went viral on social media. The Chief Minister noted that the issue seems to have been resolved for now, but further steps are needed to prevent similar incidents in the future. He urged the Central Department of Financial Services to ensure that bank staff across the country receive training on regional culture and language sensitivity. Siddaramaiah added that such behavior could worsen tensions amid ongoing language disputes. What actually happened? A video recently went viral showing a manager at an SBI branch in Suryanagar, Bengaluru, arguing with a customer who requested she speak in Kannada. In the video, the manager responded rudely, questioning if there was any rule requiring the use of Kannada, and stated defiantly that she would never speak it. The video triggered a backlash, with many people claiming this is common behavior by SBI staff across Karnataka. In response, SBI transferred the manager. The incident sparked statewide protests, with language-rights group Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) announcing protests on Wednesday. The group accused SBI of repeatedly ignoring local language needs and disrespecting Kannada-speaking customers. 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.… — Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) May 21, 2025