The Arunachal Christian Forum has accused the State Bank of India of running digital banking software that prevents Christian customers belonging to Scheduled Tribes from selecting the ST category while opening accounts or updating KYC details. According to the forum, choosing “Christian” under the religion option automatically pushes such applicants into the “General” category.
In a representation submitted to SBI’s regional manager in Itanagar, the forum claimed that the bank’s applications, including YONO, disable the ST option once “Christian” is selected as the religion. The forum described the behaviour as potentially discriminatory, arguing that Scheduled Tribe status in Arunachal Pradesh is not linked to religious affiliation.
“SBI Not Competent to De-list Tribal Christians”, Says Forum
The forum asserted that SBI is not the competent authority to de-list a tribal Christian customer holding a valid ST certificate, and said the bank cannot classify such a customer under the General category solely on the basis of declared religion. It urged the bank to examine its customer-onboarding and KYC software to determine whether the classification is a technical fault, and to clarify whether any law, regulation or Reserve Bank of India directive permits such a system.
15-Day Deadline, Gherao Warning
The forum has sought a written response on corrective action within 15 days. It warned that failure to resolve the matter could lead to a gherao of SBI branches across Arunachal Pradesh. The forum also asked the bank to fix the software logic so that religion and tribal status are not treated as mutually exclusive categories, and to issue suitable instructions to its branches in the state.
Wider Debate Over ST Status and Religion
The forum’s stand comes against a broader debate in the state over the link between religious affiliation and Scheduled Tribe status. The forum had earlier opposed demands to strip ST status from tribal communities on the basis of religion, contending that tribal recognition rests on indigenous identity and constitutional criteria rather than faith. Official Census data separately records the state’s ST population by religious community, including Christians. SBI had not responded to the allegations at the time the report was published, according to the original report.
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