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Bengaluru, May 21 (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday condemned the behaviour of an SBI branch manager in Anekal taluk for refusing to speak in Kannada, after a video of her allegedly arguing with a customer over the use of the state’s language went viral on social media.

In the video, which surfaced on Tuesday, the woman manager can be heard saying, “I will not speak in Kannada for sure… but Hindi.” She repeatedly refuses to speak in Kannada even as the customer cites RBI guidelines mandating the use of regional languages in customer interactions.

The incident drew sharp criticism from Kannada activists and pro-Kannada groups, who demanded an official apology and action against the staff member.

Taking to 'X', Siddaramaiah appreciated SBI’s prompt action in transferring the official.

“The behaviour of the SBI branch manager in Surya Nagar, Anekal taluk, refusing to speak in Kannada and 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,” he said.

However, Siddaramaiah added that such incidents must not recur.

“All bank employees must treat customers with dignity and make every effort to speak the local language. I urge @FinMinIndia and the Department of Financial Services to mandate cultural and language sensitisation training for all bank staff across India. Respecting the local language is respecting the people,” he said, with the hashtag 'KannadaFirst'.

BJP Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya also condemned the manager’s behaviour, stating it was “simply not acceptable.” He said banks in Karnataka must serve customers in Kannada.

He recalled that just a few weeks ago, during a Public Accounts Committee meeting, he had raised this issue with the Department of Financial Services (DFS) Secretary, who had assured him that action would be taken to enforce an office notification mandating local language proficiency for such roles.

“Looks like this still isn’t being properly enforced. I urge the concerned authorities at @TheOfficialSBI to immediately implement the DFS policy that mandates local language requirements. I have spoken to the relevant officials to take action against this manager who behaved in this manner,” he added.

Former Infosys Chief Financial Officer T V Mohandas Pai said he fully agrees with the Chief Minister, adding that all customers should be treated with dignity and respect.

“In every state or district, those in service roles should make every effort to speak the local language to show respect and dignity to local citizens. Never look down on non-English speakers. Hindi is not the default language over the local language. We need a locally inclusive service culture,” he said on ‘X’.

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New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.

The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.

Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.

“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.

Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”

Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.

In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”

"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added. 

According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.

Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.

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