A State Bank of India (SBI) official in Bengaluru has been transferred after a viral video showed her refusing to converse in Kannada with a customer at the Surya Nagar branch. The official bluntly said, “I will never speak Kannada,” sparking massive outrage across Karnataka.

In the video, she dismisses the customer’s plea to follow RBI norms and respect the local language, retorting, “This is India.” The footage spread rapidly on social media, drawing sharp criticism and calls for accountability. Users tagged Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and SBI, alleging linguistic discrimination.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah condemned the official’s conduct and lauded SBI’s swift transfer decision, adding the issue should now be considered closed. Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya stressed that banks must serve customers in Kannada and urged for local hiring or Kannada-proficient staff.

Pro-Kannada outfit Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) intensified the protest, accusing SBI of recurring Kannada neglect. The group plans state-wide agitations on May 21, including a march to SBI’s head office and a women’s protest outside the Chandapura branch.

SBI responded with a statement expressing regret over the incident, emphasizing that the matter is under review and that the bank upholds a zero-tolerance stance toward behaviour harming customer trust.

This episode has reignited debate over linguistic respect in public services and the importance of regional language inclusion.