Kolkata man fashion policed by bank staff; debate ensues among netizens on Twitter
Taking to Twitter, Ashish shared his experience when he was asked to come back wearing trousers after he wore a pair of shorts to the local SBI branch. Read on
- Entertainment News
- 2 min read

While security remains the foremost focus at a bank for a customer, the last thing one expects is to encounter is fashion policing. In a rare incident of being denied entry to a service platform, a man from Kolkata identified as Ashish, was allegedly being barred from entering the local SBI branch for being unable to "maintain decency." Taking to Twitter, Ashish shared his experience from last week when he was asked to come back wearing trousers after he wore a pair of shorts to the local SBI branch.
Hey @TheOfficialSBI went to one of your branch today wearing shorts, was told that I need to come back wearing full pants as the branch expects customers to "maintain decency"
— Ashish (@ajzone008) November 16, 2021
Is there some sort of an official policy on what a customer can wear and cannot wear?
Further explaining his encounter with the staff at the branch, Ashish narrated that he was asked to come back wearing full pants, as they wanted to ensure a "certain level of decency." He also highlighted a similar incident that another customer from Pune faced, questioning if there is "some sort of official policy in what a customer can wear and cannot wear" in his Twitter post.
Viral tweet sparks debate among netizens
The tweet directed to SBI amassed over 2,700 likes after it was posted on November 16 and sparked a widespread debate with several indignant customers lambasting the incident Twitter and supporting Ashish. While one suggested legal steps by filing a complaint with an "ombudsman," another provided Ashish with the simplest move of closing his account and moving to a different bank.
There were quite a few who pointed out that staff probably was concerned about the "comfort" of other customers. Some also adviced that citizens should follow some "decency" and avoid wearing t-shirt and shorts to a bank. Meanwhile, SBI responded to Ashish's post clarifying that the bank has "no policy or prescribed dress code" for the customers. "They can dress up as per their choice and may consider the locally acceptable norms traditions culture for a public place like Bank branch," tweet from SBI added.
Take a look at the comments here:
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I swear to God I have faced this issue in more than one place repeatedly where these old Indian uncles basically moral police anybody who wears shorts
— Yunus Lasania (@lasaniayunus) November 18, 2021
There is no fucking dress code for a customer or anybody to go anywhere. https://t.co/K4Y2Tai0lM
Hey, I'm cyclist too and i face the same situation in central bank of india.i wear burmuda and they said 'its not america ,you should wear pent.they don't even giving me entry in thr bank.
— Ravi patil (@PATILRavi9) November 17, 2021
My dad, I and many others were wearing full pants and still have to wait 3 hours to get work done bcz sbi officials were having "lunch".
— riko ji (@facts47021638) November 17, 2021
We citizens should follow some decency in going to Bank branches and other public places. It us not like going to a chai shop or mithaiwala. Let him enter a Citibank branch with shorts and a T shirt. The youngsters of gen next has no value ethics now .
— Srinivasan Ramaswamy (@vasane53) November 18, 2021
Close you account and find a different bank..
— Ambrose Silveira (@AmbroseSilveira) November 17, 2021
How can you say wearing shorts is indecent. Haven't we seen football, tennis other games etc all played formally n officially in shorts. BTW, is SBI a cricket team at all?
— Kabbina Kuvari (@kabbinakuvari) November 21, 2021
SBI has no problem if you roam NUDE also but thing is they are worried about their Customers who might take this as offensive..
— Mirza Baig (@Baig2K19) November 18, 2021
So yeah there are clothes designed for every where. I am sure you don't go to office or Wedding in Shorts do you ? So why not wear something decent?