‘Why is she even here?': Canara Bank official faces backlash for not understanding Kannada. Watch
The footage shows a Kannada-speaking woman confronting a bank official over their inability to assist her in the local language.
In the video, the woman, who claims she doesn't know English, questions a Malayalam-speaking staff member's presence at the counter, saying, 'Why is she here if she can't understand Kannada?' The manager is seen speaking to another official in Malayalam while the customer demands answers about money deducted from her account without prior notice.
(Also Read: Bengaluru man wants to pay you to drive better with UPI rewards and AI compliments)
Watch video here:
'She wasn't even cordial with me,' the woman says in the video. 'When I tried asking, she started making weird faces.' The bank official, seen intervening in the situation, responds, 'You were not cordial either".
How did X users react?
The video has sparked divided reactions online. While some users expressed solidarity with the customer, others accused her of escalating a non-issue for social media attention. 'What do you want, information or a viral video?' one comment read. Another added, 'Someone is already assisting her in Kannada. What's the problem then?'
However, a large section of users rallied behind the woman's concern, questioning the bank's hiring practices.
A user wrote, 'As customers, we expect to be served respectfully and in a language we're comfortable with. After all, it's our money that keeps the bank running. Public sector banks like Canara Bank were nationalised to serve all citizens, not just a few'
'Why aren't locals being given job opportunities?' and 'If you're operating in Karnataka, you must be able to serve in Kannada' were common refrains.
In response to the backlash, Canara Bank's official handle on X (formerly Twitter) issued a statement affirming its commitment to Kannada and its customers.
'Kannada is our foundation, your support is our strength,' the statement read. 'For Canara Bank, Karnataka is not just a state, it is our birthplace. Kannada is not merely a language to us, it is a feeling, a pride. We are committed to providing services in the local language at every branch in the state.' The bank added that in today's multilingual India, staff may come from different states, but 'our heart always resonates with our customers.'
This comes after a viral video from SBI's Surya Nagar (Anekal Taluk) branch in Bengaluru showed a heated exchange in which a branch manager refused to speak Kannada with a local customer. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah condemned the behaviour as 'strongly condemnable' and praised the bank's swift action.
The controversy reignited a broader debate over language rights, with citizens and leaders, including MP Tejasvi Surya and former Infosys director Mohandas Pai, urging that public-facing institutions must serve customers in Kannada or risk alienating the local population
(Also Read: 'No roads, no rage': Viral Bengaluru post claims 99.99% drop in road rage, triggers laugh riot)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
29 minutes ago
- Time of India
Sebi warning: After action against Jane Street, chairman says 'market manipulation won't be tolerated'
SEBI Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey Capital markets regulator Sebi stepped up surveillance for the stock market and warned that any kind of manipulation will not be tolerated. Sebi Chairman Tuhin Kanta Pandey made this clear on Saturday, a day after the regulator passed an interim order against US-based hedge fund Jane Street Group. Pandey said monitoring has been tightened both by Sebi and at the stock exchange level. When asked if similar behaviour had been seen with other foreign investors, he responded, "All what I can say that market manipulation is not going to be tolerated". Earlier, on Friday, the regulator barred Jane Street Group from participating in the Indian securities market and ordered it to return illegal gains worth Rs 4,843 crore. The group has been accused of manipulating stock indices through positions in the derivatives market. This may be the highest ever disgorgement ordered by Sebi. In its interim order, Sebi prohibited four entities: JSI Investments, JSI2 Investments Pvt Ltd, Jane Street Singapore Pte Ltd, and Jane Street Asia Trading, from trading until further notice, while investigations continue. Later in the day, at an event hosted by the Bombay Chartered Accountants Society, Pandey also stressed the importance of transparency and ethics in corporate governance. He told chartered accountants that disclosing related party transactions, managing conflicts of interest, and reporting key developments on time were "non-negotiable responsibilities". "You have a critical responsibility to ensure that corporate governance is not reduced to a checklist," he said, addressing the CAs. Pandey also said that excessive compliance requirements can become burdensome and may not always serve their intended purpose. "We are also mindful that too much of information, too much of compliance adds to a big compliance burden which may not actually serve the interest that we really intend to serve," he said. 'We would also like to see wherever we have the possibility of doing better results with less compliance, less information, less onerous responsibility and less micromanagement on the part of regulator,' he added, inviting suggestions for improvement. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
The Print
an hour ago
- The Print
Mandate of NDB needs to be renewed with focus on greater agility and efficiency: FM
NDB is not just a source of capital, it is a platform for shaping a more equitable and responsive global financial architecture, she said during the NDB Governors Seminar on the theme 'Challenges for Financing Sustainable Development for the Global South' in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Observing that NDB has played an important role in reshaping the financial landscape for the global South, she said, it has approved more than 100 projects, and it has approved more than USD 35 billion in financing across member countries, including key Indian initiatives like the metro rail, renewable energy and water management. New Delhi, Jul 4 (PTI) Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said in today's fast changing world, the mandate for New Development Bank (NDB) must be renewed with focus on greater agility, technological advancement and efficiency. 'In today's fast changing world, its mandate must be renewed. The NDB's mandate must be renewed with focus on greater agility, technological advancement and efficiency, efficiency in an enhanced way. So in conclusion, I would like to say financing sustainable development in the global south isn't just about raising funds. 'It's about building fairness. It's about building trust, and it's building leadership. India, with its dual role as a leading emerging economy and a global influencer, is uniquely positioned to lead this transformation, not just for itself, but for all those who share its aspirations,' she said. Sitharaman underlined the need for decisive collective action by the global South to address multiple uncertainties arising from fiscal constraints, climate change, and evolving geopolitical dynamics. Sitharaman highlighted that this deters long-term investment and delays critical progress in areas like renewable energy and climate-resilient infrastructure. Stressing that India stands at a unique crossroads, she said, 'the aspirations of a billion people converge with the imperatives of a fast-changing planet. And in this moment, policy will determine pace. India has demonstrated how scale and speed can go hand-in-hand.' Through transformative policy initiatives like UPI, Aadhaar and Jan Dhan, India has driven financial inclusion even to the last-mile, she said. India's policy ecosystem has been further strengthened by programmes such as the Gati Shakti National Master Plan, the National Green Hydrogen Mission and installation of over 220 GW of renewable energy capacity to accelerate clean energy transition, she said, adding, these efforts are complemented by a commitment to macroeconomic stability. 'As we strive towards the 2030 agenda, the financing gap for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in developing countries has widened to over USD 4.2 trillion annually post-pandemic, reflecting the widening gap between ambition and reality,' she said. PTI DP HVA This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Engineers must now think like CEOs, OpenAI's Srinivas Narayanan at IIT-M alumni event
. BENGALURU: In the age of artificial intelligence, software engineers must evolve into decision-makers with CEO-like vision, said OpenAI's VP of Engineering Srinivas Narayanan, speaking at the IIT Madras Alumni Association's Sangam 2025 conference on Saturday. 'The job is shifting from just writing code to asking the right questions and defining the 'what' and 'why' of a problem. AI can already handle much of the 'how,'' Narayanan said, urging developers to focus on purpose and ambition over executional detail. Joining him on stage, Microsoft's Chief Product Officer Aparna Chennapragada warned that simply retrofitting AI onto legacy tools won't be enough. 'AI isn't a feature you can just add on. We need to start building with an AI-first mindset,' she said, pointing to how natural language interfaces are replacing traditional UX layers. The panel, moderated by IITMAA President and Unimity CEO Shyamala Rajaram, explored AI's impact on jobs, product design, safety, and education. Chennapragada said the future belongs to those who combine deep expertise with generalist flexibility. 'Prompt sets are the new PRDs,' she quipped, referring to how product teams now work closely with models to prototype faster and smarter. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esse novo alarme com câmera é quase gratuito em Itanhaém (consulte o preço) Alarmes Undo Narayanan shared that OpenAI's models are already being used in medical diagnostics, citing a case where a reasoning model identified rare genetic disorders at a Berkeley-linked research lab. 'The potential of AI as a collaborator, even in research, is enormous,' he said. On risks, Narayanan acknowledged challenges such as misinformation, unsafe outputs, and misuse. He noted that OpenAI recently rolled back a model for exhibiting 'psychopathic' traits during testing, highlighting the company's iterative deployment philosophy. Both speakers stressed accessibility and scale. While Chennapragada called for broader 'CS + AI' fluency, Narayanan said model costs have dropped 100-fold over two years. 'We want to democratise intelligence,' he said. Chennapragada closed with a thought: 'In a world where intelligence is no longer the gatekeeper, the real differentiators will be ambition and agency.' Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
