Bengaluru SBI manager apologises in Kannada after 'this is India' remark

A day after a State Bank of India (SBI) branch manager in Bengaluru refused to speak in Kannada with a customer, the same staffer has apologised, and the video of her apology, in Kannada, has been shared on social media.

Also read: SBI official transferred after her refusal to speak Kannada sparks protest

The SBI official at the Surya Nagar branch in Chandapura was arguing with a customer and walking away after bluntly stating, “I will never speak Kannada.” The video of the conversation was captured by the customer and shared on social media.

Outrage across Karnataka

It sparked widespread outrage across Karnataka, with politicians and pro-Kannada groups demanding accountability.

The customer reminded the official that Kannada is the local language, asking her to talk to him in Kannada, citing RBI guidelines. The official’s response in Hindi — “this is India”— added fuel to the outrage.

Later, SBI said the woman staffer was transferred following the incident.

CM reacts

Even Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had posted on his X (formerly Twitter) and the behaviour of the SBI staffer was “strongly condemnable”.

“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 wrote.

He added, “However, such incidents must not recur. All bank employees must treat customers with dignity and make every effort to speak in the local language. I urge the @FinMinIndia & Dept of Financial Services to mandate cultural and language sensitisation training for all bank staff across India. Respecting local language is respecting the people. #KannadaFirst (sic).”

'If I have hurt anyone...'

Now, a video has been shared on X in which the SBI staffer is seen apologising to the people of Karnataka.

“If I have hurt anyone, I am sorry. I will try to speak in Kannada,” she says in Kannada as she is being coached by her colleagues.

Bengaluru South BJP MP Tejasvi Surya too had criticised the SBI official.

“This behaviour by @TheOfficialSBI Branch Manager is simply not acceptable. If you are doing customer interface work in Karnataka, especially in a sector like banking, it is important to communicate to customers in the language they know. Being adamant like this is simply not right,” he wrote on X.

“Banks working in Karnataka should serve customers in Kannada. Period,” he added.