Latest news with #SyedAleem
NDTV
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
Bengaluru Man Highlights Absence Of Kannada In Vehicle Loan Papers: "How Is A Kannadiga...?"
A Bengaluru resident's social media post about a bank providing vehicle loan documents only in Hindi and English, without Kannada translation, has sparked debate on linguistic accessibility in banking. Syed Aleem noted that it took him approximately 90 minutes to fully comprehend the document due to its complex language. He raised concerns about how native Kannadigas, who may not be proficient in English or Hindi, are expected to understand and agree to such contracts. The agreement contained critical details about car parts, servicing requirements, penalties, and default conditions, all embedded in technical jargon, making it difficult for non-English speakers to navigate without a translation in their native language, Mr Aleem said. "I recently applied for a vehicle loan in Bangalore. The entire loan agreement was only in Hindi & English. It took me about 1.5 hr to understand it properly. How is a local Kannadiga who is not familiar with English expected to understand & sign?", he wrote. See the tweet here: I recently applied for a vehicle loan in Bangalore. The entire loan agreement was only in Hindi & English. It took me about 1.5 hr to understand it properly. How is a local Kannadiga who is not familiar in English expected to understand & sign ? — Syed Aleem (@aleem_1690) May 21, 2025 Mr Aleem chose not to name the specific bank or branch, emphasising that the issue is broader than a single institution. He suggested providing loan documents in both Kannada and English would be ideal, but noted that even requesting Kannada alongside Hindi is often perceived as language politics. "Ideally, it should be Kannada and English. But asking for Kannada to be included along with Hindi in itself will be seen as language politics. And not naming the bank & branch, because this isn't bank-specific. This change should be uniform across banks," he added. The post resonated with many social media users, who shared similar concerns about linguistic accessibility in banking services. Others responded dismissively, suggesting that since he understood English, the lack of Kannada documentation shouldn't be an issue. One user wrote, "The bank should print documents/form as per customers preferred language. Problem solved. Imposing local language on a central government employees with help of political goons is not the solution." Another commented, "It's a waste of your education if it took you 1.5 hours to understand a loan agreement in English, while you're able to write a post in English just to seek attention." A third said, "Hindi and English are two official languages of India, i.e. used by the government for official purposes. That's why there is only English and Hindi on agreement."
Hindustan Times
22-05-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Bengaluru man flags lack of Kannada in vehicle loan papers: 'Took me 1.5 hours to understand'
A Bengaluru resident's post on the lack of Kannada in vehicle loan documents has sparked a debate on linguistic accessibility in banking, especially in non-English-speaking regions. Taking to social media platform X, the user, Syed Aleem, shared his recent experience of applying for a vehicle loan in the city. According to him, the entire loan agreement was provided only in Hindi and English, with no Kannada translation available. "It took me about 1.5 hours to understand it properly. How is a local Kannadiga who is not familiar with English expected to understand and sign?" he wrote, pointing out that crucial terms regarding car parts, servicing, penalties, and defaults were buried in technical language. 'Every customer has a right to know what they are signing. For that, providing the document in the local language should be the bare minimum.' (Also Read: 'Difficult to learn 200 local words?': Mohandas Pai reacts to row over SBI manager's refusal to speak Kannada) He refrained from naming the bank or branch, stressing that this was not a bank-specific issue but a larger systemic gap that needed correction across the sector. He said the ideal approach would be to provide loan documents in Kannada and English. 'But even asking for Kannada along with Hindi is seen as language politics,' he added. The post quickly caught the attention of other users, with many echoing his concern. One user remarked, 'Most people sign without reading. I'm glad you made the effort to read and understand.' Another pointed out, 'Even in Kannada, such agreements are difficult to understand, only lawyers can make sense of them. First step is to make them easy to understand, regardless of the language.' Some users suggested workarounds, like using Google image translation, but agreed that banks should provide documentation in the regional language to ensure clarity and consent. (Also Read: 'Banks in Karnataka should serve in Kannada. Period': Bengaluru MP Tejasvi Surya on viral SBI video)
