Latest news with #KannadaFirst
Hindustan Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Karnataka SBI manager, who vowed to speak only Hindi, apologises in Kannada
The SBI branch manager in Karnataka, who raked-up a controversy for refusing to speak in Kannada, has reportedly apologised for her behaviour. A video surfaced on social media platform X showed the woman manager apologising for her conduct in the local language itself. A huge language debate was reignited in the southern state after a video emerged on Tuesday showing a heated language dispute between the manager and a customer. Also read | Karnataka: SBI branch manager transferred over 'refusal to speak Kannada' The woman manager was heard saying, 'I will not speak in Kannada for sure… but Hindi.' She repeatedly refused to speak in Kannada even as the customer cited RBI guidelines mandating the use of regional languages in customer interactions. The incident drew sharp criticism from pro-Kannada activists and groups, who demanded an official apology from SBI and action against the branch manager. Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah reacted to the controversy on Wednesday by appreciating SBI's prompt action in transferring the official and urged everyone to consider the issue as 'closed.' 'The behaviour of the SBI branch manager in Surya Nagar, Anekal taluk, refusing to speak in Kannada and English and showing disregard to citizens is strongly condemnable,' the Congress leader said. Also read | 'You come to beg here': Delhi influencer responds to Karnataka auto driver's language snub 'All bank employees must treat customers with dignity and make every effort to speak the local language. I urge @FinMinIndia and the Department of Financial Services to mandate cultural and language sensitisation training for all bank staff across India. Respecting the local language is respecting the people,' he added, with the hashtag 'KannadaFirst'. BJP Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya said the behaviour of the manager was not acceptable and called for banks in Karnataka to serve their customers in Kannada. He also claimed that the Department of Financial Services (DFS) assured him of action to implement a notification mandating local language proficiency for such roles.
India Today
21-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
Siddaramaiah slams SBI branch manager's Kannada snub, but ‘issue now closed'
A controversy over linguistic insensitivity at a State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Bengaluru has now been deemed closed, following the swift action by the bank, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated via 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. We appreciate SBI's swift action in transferring the official. The matter may now be treated as closed,' Siddaramaiah weighed in on the matter through a post on X. advertisementHe also cautioned against such incidents' recurrence. 'However, such incidents must not recur. All bank employees must treat customers with dignity and make every effort to speak in the local language. I urge the @FinMinIndia & Dept of Financial Services to mandate cultural and language sensitisation training for all bank staff across India. Respecting the local language is respecting the people. #KannadaFirst,' he wrote. Former Infosys director TV Mohandas Pai also lent his support to the Chief Minister's stand. 'I fully agree with our @CMofKarnataka @siddaramaiah. All customers should be treated with dignity and respect. In every state or district, people who serve should try their best to speak the local language to show respect and dignity to local citizens. Never look down on non-English speakers. Hindi is not the default language to the local language. We need a locally inclusive service culture,' he posted on X. advertisement The row erupted after a video surfaced online showing an altercation between a customer and a staffer, presumably the manager of SBI's Surya Nagar branch in Anekal taluk. In the footage, the staffer is seen refusing to converse in Kannada during an interaction, questioning if there is any rule that mandates her to do so. The exchange escalates, with the customer repeatedly asking the official to speak in Kannada. The staffer retorts, 'This is Karnataka,' to which she replies, 'This is India,' before stating, 'I will never speak Kannada,' and walking video, widely circulated on the social media platform X, triggered public outrage and calls for accountability. Users tagged the SBI and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, accusing the bank staff of imposing Hindi, misbehaving with customers, and flouting Reserve Bank of India (RBI) response, SBI issued a statement expressing regret and confirmed that the incident was under internal review. The bank reiterated its zero-tolerance policy towards conduct that adversely impacts customer sentiment and pledged its commitment to respectful the SBI has transferred the staffer involved and the Chief Minister has called the issue resolved, both officials and citizens have stressed that such incidents must not be repeated and have renewed the call for respectful, locally sensitive service standards across the country. IN THIS STORY#Karnataka#Bengaluru
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Siddaramaiah and Tejasvi Surya respond as Bengaluru SBI manager says she ‘will never speak Kannada' in viral video
A viral video of a State Bank of India manager refusing to speak in Kannada to a customer at a Bengaluru branch has drawn criticism, including from Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and BJP MP Tejasvi Surya. In the video, shot at SBI's Surya Nagar branch in Chandapura, the bank manager is seen arguing with a customer and walking away after stating, 'I will never speak Kannada.' When asked by the customer to follow the Reserve Bank of India's guidelines and respect the local language, the manager dismissively responds, 'This is India.' The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) protested on Wednesday demanding SBI sack the manager for 'disrespecting' Kannada-speaking customers and failing to offer services in the local language. The SBI manager later posted online an apology video, in which she was also seen giggling. Siddaramaiah criticised the SBI manager. '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. However, such incidents must not recur. All bank employees must treat customers with dignity and make every effort to speak in the local language. I urge the @FinMinIndia & Dept of Financial Services to mandate cultural and language sensitisation training for all bank staff across India. Respecting the local language is respecting the people. #KannadaFirst.' 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 BJP MP Tejasvi Surya also echoed the Congress leader. 'This behaviour by @TheOfficialSBI Branch Manager is simply not acceptable. If you are doing customer interface work in Karnataka, especially in a sector like banking, it is important to communicate to customers in the language they know. Being adamant like this is simply not right. I have time and again raised this issue of mandatorily posting local staff or staff who know the local language in banking operations, both inside and outside Parliament. Just a few weeks ago, at a Public Accounts Committee meeting, I had raised this issue to the DFS Secretary who assured me action will be taken to follow a office notification that makes this requirement of local language knowledge compulsory. Looks like this still isn't being enforced properly. I urge the concerned at @TheOfficialSBI to immediately implement the DFS policy that mandates local language requirement. I have spoken to concerned authorities to take action against this manager who has behaved in this manner. Banks working in Karnataka should serve customers in Kannada. Period.' This behaviour by @TheOfficialSBI Branch Manager is simply not acceptable. If you are doing customer interface work in Karnataka, especially in a sector like banking , it is important to communicate to customers in the language they know. Being adamant like this is simply not… — Tejasvi Surya (@Tejasvi_Surya) May 21, 2025 For its part, SBI said in a statement, 'We are deeply concerned about the recent incident at our Surya Nagar Branch of AO South Bengaluru. The matter is currently under thorough evaluation.' The bank reiterated its zero-tolerance policy for behaviour that affects customer sentiment. This is not the first time bank officials in Karnataka have insisted customers speak in Hindi. In September 2024, when customers asked for a challan printed in Kannada, a bank manager claimed Hindi was the national language and said, 'Speak Hindi and get your service done, or else leave.' The challan was printed in English and Hindi.
Hindustan Times
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
‘Strongly condemnable': CM Siddaramaiah slams SBI manager for refusing to speak Kannada
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday condemned the conduct of a State Bank of India (SBI) branch manager in Anekal taluk, who allegedly refused to speak in Kannada during a confrontation with a customer, a video of which went viral on social media, sparking widespread outrage. In the now-viral video, recorded at the Surya Nagar branch in Anekal, the woman manager can be heard repeatedly insisting that she would not speak in Kannada and would only converse in Hindi. The customer, invoking Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines, argued that bank officials are expected to communicate in the regional language. Despite this, the manager stood her ground, igniting anger among Kannada activists and pro-Kannada groups, who have since demanded an apology and disciplinary action. (Also Read: Bengaluru SBI manager's refusal to speak Kannada sparks outrage: 'I live in India') Reacting to the public backlash, SBI swiftly transferred the manager. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah acknowledged the move on X (formerly Twitter), calling the manager's behaviour 'strongly condemnable' and thanking SBI for its prompt response. '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. We appreciate SBI's swift action in transferring the official. The matter may now be treated as closed,' he posted. (Also Read: Bengaluru BJP MLA Munirathna faces gang rape charges, urinating on woman's face: Report) However, the Chief Minister stressed that such incidents must not happen again. Emphasising the importance of linguistic respect in public service, he called on the Union Finance Ministry and the Department of Financial Services to ensure that all banking staff across the country receive cultural and language sensitisation training. 'Respecting local language is respecting the people,' he said, adding the hashtag #KannadaFirst. (Also Read: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah lauds Banu Mushtaq's International Booker win)
