Linguistic Dispute at SBI Branch Sparks Outrage and Action

The refusal of an SBI branch manager in Anekal to communicate in Kannada, as captured in a viral video, has sparked significant outrage. The incident involved a confrontation with a customer regarding the state's language, leading to demands from Kannada activists for an official apology and action.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah expressed strong condemnation of the manager's behavior. He praised the quick decision by SBI management to transfer the manager and emphasized the importance of preventing such incidents in the future. The Chief Minister underscored the need for all bank employees to engage with customers respectfully in the local language.

Siddaramaiah implored the Ministry of Finance and the Department of Financial Services to implement cultural and language sensitization training across all banks in India, highlighting that respecting local languages is crucial to respecting local communities.

(With inputs from agencies.)