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A major controversy has erupted in Karnataka after an incident at the Chandapura branch of the State Bank of India (SBI), where branch manager Priyanka allegedly refused to communicate in Kannada, sparking outrage among pro-Kannada groups. The Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV), led by Narayana Gowda, launched strong protests against what they termed as the "arrogance and linguistic oppression" by non-Kannada-speaking SBI staff.
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)
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
">May 21, 2025
The issue snowballed after the manager’s perceived dismissiveness and mock apology drew further ire. Protesters accused the manager of being disrespectful and claimed this was not an isolated incident. “If you can't speak Kannada, you should go back to your state,” said Narayana Gowda. “We will not tolerate the oppression of Kannadigas in our own land.”
In response, the KRV warned SBI to ensure all managers in Karnataka learn and communicate in Kannada within a month, failing which statewide protests and branch blockades would follow. The group also demanded that officials not knowing the local language be transferred out of Karnataka.
The SBI General Manager, Sushil Kumar, acknowledged the concerns and accepted a memorandum from the protestors. Reports confirmed that the manager in question has since been transferred. Meanwhile, protests continued outside the SBI Head Office on St. Mark's Road, with heavy police presence as tensions remained high.
