Nationalised banks imposing Hindi in Karnataka to face heat from KRV

Banks not following three-language policy Hindi is being prioritised over Kannada when regional language should have prominence A week’s deadline given to banks to change their attitude

Have you ever faced with 'Kripaya aap Hindi me bolenge' (Could you please speak in Hindi)-kind-of-situation at your neighbourhood banks? Now, such banks which are making a veiled attempt to impose Hindi in their regular business in Karnataka will face the heat from Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV).

Condemning the imposition of Hindi by nationalised banks – violating the 'Tribhasha Sutra' (three-language policy) – the pro-Kannada organisation has issued a week's deadline to implement Kannada in their correspondence and transaction, reports Kannada Prabha. According to the three-language policy, the banks must use region specific language – Kannada in Karnataka – as primary language with Hindi and English as secondary. This applies to preparing challans, passbooks, loan applications and even in account opening forms.

But the nationalised banks’ "hidden" agenda to push Hindi in their day-to-day business has discouraged people in rural areas to approach them.

If the banks fail to meet the deadline, the KRV has threatened to protest in front of Reserve Bank of India, Bengaluru. For, the RBI must make sure that the banks in Karnataka are abiding the language policy, said the Vedike.