Overview

• A video shot on July 4 at the AIT Circle branch in Chikkamagaluru shows a Kannada-speaking customer challenging a Malayalam-speaking teller and demanding an explanation for unexplained account deductions
• Social media reactions have split largely between users supporting the customer’s demand for Kannada service and others accusing her of manufacturing a controversy for attention
• Canara Bank’s official X handle pledged that Kannada is its foundation and promised to provide customer support in the local language at every Karnataka branch
• Pro-Kannada groups including Kannada Sene are urging the bank to mandate Kannada language training and to prioritize local candidates in all customer-facing positions
• The incident revives broader debates on regional employment rights and public service language obligations in Karnataka’s nationalized banks, echoing a similar SBI controversy in May