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After SBI Manager Refuses to Speak Kannada, CM Announces ‘Transfer’, Says 'Respect Local Language'
- A SBI branch manager at the Surya Nagara branch in Anekal Taluk, Karnataka, refused to speak Kannada to a customer on May 20, 2025, sparking controversy.
- The refusal occurred despite RBI guidelines encouraging regional language use and followed a confrontation in which the customer insisted Kannada be spoken.
- The incident went viral on social media, drawing criticism from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Kannada activists who demanded an apology and disciplinary action.
- Siddaramaiah called the manager’s behaviour 'strongly condemnable,' welcomed the official's transfer, and stated, 'Respecting local language is respecting the people.'
- The transfer and viral video reignited language debates in Karnataka, prompting calls for cultural and language sensitization training for bank employees nationwide.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Karnataka SBI staffer transferred after video refusing to speak Kannada goes viral, CM Siddaramaiah reacts
A branch manager of the State Bank of India (SBI) in Karnataka’s Anekal taluk has been transferred after a video surfaced showing her refusing to speak in Kannada and insisting on using Hindi instead. The incident sparked a political and public outcry, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah calling her remarks “strongly condemnable”. In the video, which went viral on Tuesday, the woman manager at the Surya Nagar branch is seen arguing with a customer …
Won't speak Kannada, this is India: SBI official spars with customer, transferred
A viral video showing an SBI staffer refusing to speak Kannada has sparked backlash, prompting an apology from the bank. However, pro-Kannada activists demanded respect for the state’s official language and have called for a protest outside its main office in Bengaluru.
After SBI manager refuses to speak Kannada, CM announces ‘transfer’, says 'respect local language'
Kannada row: Now, another video has emerged online showing a manager refusing to speak in Kannada, triggering a fresh language row. The incident is reported to be from Chandapura, a suburb in the south of Bengaluru.
SBI manager in Bengaluru harassed for not speaking Kannada
A heated altercation breaks out at the SBI branch in Chandapura, Bengaluru, over a language dispute. A customer insists the branch manager speak in Kannada, saying in a video, “This is Karnataka, Hindi will not work here.” However, the manager stands firm, defending her use of Hindi. A female employee responds, “I live in India, Hindi is my national language. I will speak only in Hindi.” This sparks a dramatic face-off, “Namma Karnataka” vs “Our…
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