A recent incident involving the manager of SBI Bank in Bengaluru has raised significant concerns regarding language use in a multicultural context. The manager reportedly stated, “This is India, I will speak Hindi, not Kannada.” Such remarks have garnered strong condemnation from various stakeholders. The Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah characterised the comments as unacceptable. This situation underscores ongoing discussions surrounding linguistic diversity and cultural identity within the region. An employee of SBI outright refused to communicate in Kannada with a customer at the Surya Nagar branch in Anekal Taluk, igniting a significant language controversy in Karnataka.
Hindi Vs Kannada
I WILL NOT SPEAK KANNADA IN KARNATAKA, NEVER, SPEAK IN HINDI.
@TheOfficialSBI Branch manager SBI, surya nagara, anekal taluk KARNATAKA
Your Branch manager and staff disrespect the Kannada language, imposing hindi on people of karnataka, misbehaving with customers,on duty times… pic.twitter.com/drD7L6Dydb— ಗುರುದೇವ್ ನಾರಾಯಣ್ 💛❤️ GURUDEV NARAYAN🌿 (@Gurudevnk16) May 20, 2025
A viral video shows a customer pressing a bank official to speak in Kannada, while the manager firmly refuses. The situation escalates, highlighting the debate over the local language, which is Kannada, used in public services. The customer states, “Wait a moment, this is Karnataka,” to which the manager responds, “You have not given me employment.” This incident underscores the ongoing discussions about language rights in public sectors.
The customer in question goes on to say, “This is Karnataka, madam,” to which the bank manager replies, “So? This is India”, “I will not speak Kannada for you…. I will speak Hindi”. As the video progresses, the customer goes on to say, “Kannada first, madam.” As in the last, she walks away after saying, “I will never speak Kannada”.
In response to the incident, Bangalore South MP Tejasvi Surya tweeted:
“The behavior exhibited by the Branch Manager of @TheOfficialSBI is simply unacceptable. I urge the relevant authorities at @TheOfficialSBI to promptly implement the DFS policy that mandates local language Kannada requirements. I have reached out to the appropriate officials to seek action against this manager for their conduct. Banks operating in Karnataka should serve customers in Kannada. Period.”
The incident, which quickly became viral on social media, has prompted a significant amount of discussion and commentary regarding language use in public services. It has elicited a range of responses from the public and politicians, with numerous users reaching out to both the Union Finance Minister and the Reserve Bank of India to express their views on the matter.
The Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also tweeted his strong remarks on the incident. Here’s his stance:
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
Post-Conflict Scenes
Protesters flooded into the bank, their voices raised in unison as they staged a demonstration right outside the manager’s office. They called for the manager, who had faced backlash for her stance on the Kannada language, to appear before them. With banners held high and passionate chants resonating in the air, the crowd demanded that she come forward to offer an apology. They vowed to maintain their protest until their demands were addressed, filling the space with palpable tension and determination. The incident also attracted the attention of a lot of politicians.
Well, this is not the first time the language battle has caught the nation’s eye. Many similar instances have taken place, which is concerning. Hindi or Kannada? Do languages hold the power to ignite the sparks of hatred and battle? Are the protests valid? What is your stance on the incident? We are looking forward to your opinion in the comments. Follow Entertales for such updates on current news and global affairs.
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