Arunachal Christian Forum alleges SBI software classifies Christian ST users as General

The Arunachal Christian Forum (ACF) has alleged that State Bank of India's digital banking software prevents Christian customers belonging to Scheduled Tribes from selecting the ST category while opening accounts or updating KYC details, automatically directing them to the “General” category.

The forum has demanded that SBI examine and rectify the alleged software issue within 15 days, warning of agitation across the bank's branches in Arunachal Pradesh if the matter is not resolved.

In a representation submitted to the SBI regional manager in Itanagar on October 5, the ACF claimed that selecting “Christian” under the religion option in SBI's banking applications, including YONO, disables the option to simultaneously select “Scheduled Tribe (ST)”. The forum said applicants are instead directed towards the General category.

The ACF described the alleged software behaviour as “potentially discriminatory” and argued that possession of Scheduled Tribe status in Arunachal Pradesh is not dependent on religious affiliation.

“The State Bank of India is not the competent authority to de-list a tribal Christian customer who possesses a valid ST certificate. SBI cannot automatically classify a tribal Christian under the General category solely based on their declared religion,” the forum said.

The forum urged SBI to examine its customer-onboarding and KYC software to determine whether the classification is a technical issue and sought clarification on whether any law, regulation or Reserve Bank of India directive permits such a system.

It also asked the bank to rectify the software logic so that religion and tribal status are not treated as mutually exclusive categories and to issue appropriate instructions to its branches in Arunachal Pradesh.

The ACF has sought a written response on corrective action within 15 days and warned that failure to address the issue could lead to a gherao of SBI branches across Arunachal Pradesh.

The forum's position comes amid a broader debate in Arunachal Pradesh over the relationship between religious affiliation and Scheduled Tribe status. In May, the ACF had opposed demands to remove ST status from tribal communities on the basis of religion, arguing that tribal recognition is rooted in indigenous identity and other constitutional criteria rather than religious affiliation.

Official Census data also separately records Scheduled Tribe populations in Arunachal Pradesh by religious community, including Christians, reflecting the presence of Christian members within the state's ST population.

SBI's response to the ACF's allegations was not immediately available.