Congress Stages Protest Against Central Govt for Merging Vijaya Bank with Bank of Baroda
Mangaluru: The District Congress Party staged a protest in front of the Founder Vijaya bank, Light House Hill Road on January 10, against the Central government for merging Vijaya Bank with Bank of Baroda. The protesters shouted slogans against the Central government and PM Modi.
Addressing the protesters former MLA J R Lobo said, “From the past 5 months we have been protesting against the central government to withdraw the idea of merging Vijaya Bank which is running on profit with the Bank of Baroda which is running on loss of Rs 3102 Crores. Vijaya Bank was started by A B Shetty and under the leadership of Sundaram Shetty the Bank prospered and spread across the district. Merging Vijaya Bank with the Baroda bank is an injustice to the founder of the bank. The Central government has taken a historic decision to merge the profitable Vijaya Bank with the Bank of Baroda which is facing a huge loss. Once the bank is merged we cannot roll back the name of Vijaya Bank, even the photograph of Mulky Sundaram Shetty which is displayed in every Bank will be removed.”
Lobo further said, “During the elections, the BJP spread rumours that Congress leaders had stopped the renaming of Light House Hill Road to Mulky Sundaram Shetty Road and made the Bunts community go against the Congress party. But now when the BJP government is merging Vijaya Bank with the Bank of Baroda why have the same BJP leaders maintained Silence. If the BJP MP and other leaders have real concern of Mulky Sundaram Shetty and the Vijaya Bank, why are they not raising their voice against the merging of the bank? Why has the BJP MP not joined the protest? This shows that the MP is interested only in the BJP and Modi being in power and does not have any concern about the merging of Vijaya Bank or its founder. We urge the Central government to merge the Bank of Baroda with Vijaya Bank and retain the name of the bank since Vijaya Bank was founded by A B Shetty and Sundaram Shetty had worked hard to promote the bank. If the Central government does not change its decision we will intensify our protest,” warned Lobo.
Addressing the protesters former District Minister In-charge Ramanath Rai said, “Attavar Balakrishna Shetty founded the Vijaya Bank in 1931 which was later promoted by Mulky Sundaram Shetty. Even the employees of Vijaya Bank have sacrificed their salaries to develop the bank but now the Central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is merging Vijaya Bank with the Bank of Baroda. The Gujarat based Bank of Baroda is facing a huge loss. Vijaya Bank has 79 branches all over the district. We have read in the newspaper that the MPs of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi had gone to Delhi to meet Jaitley to submit a memorandum regarding the Vijaya Bank but they were insulted without being treated well. We are not beggars, Vijaya bank was founded by a Mangalorean and it is our right to fight to retain its name. One more so-called BJP spokesperson has said that the Congress did not allow to rename the road after Mulky Sundaram Shetty but now when the central government is merging Vijaya Bank with the Bank of Baroda the same leaders are protesting. Instead of raising his voice against the government for taking the decision to merge the bank, he is targetting the Congress party and giving statements against it. Vijaya Bank is a profitable bank and it is our right to protect the bank from being merged with the Bank of Baroda which is facing a huge loss. Once the bank will be merged we will never be able to see the portrait of A B Shetty or Mulky Sundaram Shetty in the bank, nor the smiling emblem of the bank. We will never be able to see the name of Vijaya bank again. I request all the people of Dakshina Kannada to come out and protest against the Central government for taking the decision of merging Vijaya Bank with the Bank of Baroda.”
Addressing the protesters former employee of Vijaya Bank Vimala Pai said, “I have worked in the Vijaya bank for 31 years and I have taken VRS. I feel very sad because the central government has taken a wrong decision of merging Vijaya Bank with the Bank of Baroda. Mulky Sundaram Shetty has given employment to widows and those who had come seeking of a job. When I joined Vijaya Bank 31 years ago my salary started at Rs 150. Vijaya Bank has given life to thousands of us but the Central government has taken a wrong decision. I am very much saddened by this decision. I urge the people of Dakshina Kannada to unite to retain Vijaya Bank.”
President of District Congress Committee Harish Kumar said, “From the past 8 months the Central government has been planning to merge Vijaya Bank. Being the MP of DK Nalin Kumar Kateel did not do anything to retain this bank. All the people of the district are opposing the wrong move of the central government but the BJP leaders have maintained silence. BJP MP Nalin Kumar is saying that he has submitted a memorandum but why is he not raising his voice? Instead of submitting the memorandum let him protest against the Modi government and stop the merging of the bank? Why is he not doing it? After the decision is taken in the Cabinet will he come to wipe the tears? Let MP Nalin demand the merging of the Bank of Baroda with Vijaya Bank but he is not able to utter a word. We request the Central government to merge the Bank of Baroda with Vijaya Bank so that the name of Vijaya Bank will be retained.”
Corporator Vinayraj and MLC Ivan D’Souza also spoke on the occasion.