SBI branch manager Kannada row sparks Bengaluru businessman’s decision to leave city

The controversy surrounding the refusal of an SBI branch manager in Chandapura, Bengaluru, to speak Kannada has led to widespread outrage and stirred a deeper debate on language and identity in the city. Following this incident, businessman Kaushik Mukherjee publicly announced his decision to leave Bengaluru and shift his office to Pune within six months.

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Mukherjee, who has over 10,000 social media followers, expressed frustration over the language imposition in Bengaluru, stating that his staff should not be made “sacrificial lambs” in such conflicts. His post, which went viral, drew mixed reactions from netizens. Some supported his decision to leave, while others criticized him, urging that learning the local language in any new city is important.

The SBI manager’s refusal to communicate in Kannada triggered protests from Kannada activists and local customers, eventually resulting in the manager’s transfer. The incident has been seen as a reflection of a larger issue of cultural and linguistic respect in Karnataka’s capital.

Mukherjee’s subsequent post warned that if such issues persist, more people might consider leaving Bengaluru. He acknowledged that the problem lies partly with certain political groups exacerbating tensions, not with the local people.