Mohandas Pai Joins SBI Language Row, Urges Respect For Kannada: 'Is It Difficult To Learn 200 Words?'

As controversy mounts over a viral video showing a State Bank of India (SBI) branch manager in Anekal, Bengaluru, refusing to speak Kannada, former Infosys director T V Mohandas Pai has joined the debate.

Replying to a post on X that defended the bank manager, Pai remarked, "Every business must serve its local customers in a language they understand. This is not the British Raj again. This is a service business."

Photo Credit: https://x.com/TVMohandasPai

Pai clarified that no one was demanding bank staff become fluent or literate in the local language, but simply that they learn sufficient Kannada to communicate politely with clients.

"Learning, say, 200 words to converse is difficult? They are customers, not your captives or subjects. This arrogance is very, very wrong," he said.

Pai was responding to a comment by X user Tushar Gupta, who had posted, "It's the State Bank of India, not the State Bank of Karnataka. This business of 'learn the local language to work in the state' cannot be allowed. We are Indians first. The Constitution has no such condition."

What sparked the row?

The issue was ignited by a video showing a customer at SBI's Surya Nagar branch in Anekal taluk requesting that the female branch manager speak in Kannada.

In the video, she responds, "I will not speak in Kannada for sure," while insisting on speaking in Hindi instead.

The footage provoked a storm of criticism on social media, with pro-Kannada groups and citizens calling for disciplinary measures. In response to the backlash, the bank official later issued a video apology.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also commented on the matter, describing the behaviour of the bank officer as "strongly condemnable."

He expressed appreciation for SBI's swift action in transferring the employee and called on the Union Finance Ministry to introduce cultural and language sensitisation training for banking personnel across India. "Respecting local language is respecting the people," he asserted.