'Disregard to Citizens': Huge Outrage as SBI Official in Bengaluru Refuses to Speak to Customer in Kannada

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday slammed an SBI branch manager in Bengaluru for refusing to speak Kannada with a customer, calling it a “disregard to citizens.” He welcomed the bank’s decision to transfer the official and urged the Centre to mandate language sensitisation training for bank staff across India.

A viral video of an SBI official allegedly refusing to speak Kannada with a customer at the Surya Nagara branch in Anekal Taluk, Bengaluru, has sparked massive outrage on social media, reigniting the ongoing language row in Karnataka. In the video, the customer is heard insisting, “This is Karnataka, ma’am,” while the woman replies, “This is India,” and says she won’t speak Kannada, adding that her mother tongue is Hindi.

Reacting to the controversy, CM Siddaramaiah said, “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.”

He further added that such incidents must not recur and that all bank staff should treat customers with dignity and make every effort to speak the local language.

Urging the Centre to intervene, the CM said, “I urge the Finance Ministry 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.”

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The video also triggered sharp reactions from Kannada language activists and users online, demanding accountability and respect for Karnataka’s official language.

The bank official has issued a video apology, but calls continue for banks and public institutions to ensure staff are trained to interact with locals respectfully and in regional languages, especially in states with strong linguistic identities like Karnataka.