PM and FM want Europe Style Operating Banks in India and Support Corporate World- Ivan
Mangaluru: “There are rumours that we the Congress are against the nationalization of Banks. Recently the Vijaya Bank was merged with the Bank of Baroda and we lost our identity. Now the Corporation and Syndicate bank which were started in DK will be merged. The government says that the banks will be more efficient by merging them. Earlier 5 banks were merged with the State Bank of India but SBI is facing huge loses. The Prime minister and Finance minister are thinking that they want the Indian banks to operate like the American and European banks. They want powerful banks to operate, but there is a huge difference between our country and America or the UK or any other country. If we compare our country to other countries, we have a population of 135 crores. This is the first time the government is helping the corporate world by closing or merging the nationalized banks with private banks”, said MLC Ivan D’Souza in a press meet held at his office, MCC building Lalbagh here on September 3.
Addressing the mediapersons Ivan said, “The government is trying to privatize the banks by merging them with other banks and gradually reducing the branches. The government is trying to close the doors of the banks to the people by handing over the banks to the corporate world. This is an injustice to the people of DK and insult to the people of the coastal region. What are the achievements of the BJP? We are 5% lower in GDP than Pakistan and Bangladesh. The PM said that he will bring back the black money from Swiss banks but he has withdrawn the security amount of Rs 1.76 lakh crores from the RBI. That is our security amount if the government withdraws the security amount, how can they make the economy efficient by merging the banks? There is a conspiracy to help the corporate world. This decision is not taken in favour of the people”.
Ivan also said, “The government also says that it will not reduce the staff in banks, but when five banks are merged with the SBI nearly 1000 branches will have to be closed in 5 months. After the merger of Vijaya Bank with Bank of Baroda nearly 40% of the branches will be closed. Their intention is to close the rural banks that are working for the rural people and promote city-based Union banks started in Mumbai. In DK and Udupi, we have only 7 branches of the Union bank which operate in the city and not in rural areas. The Syndicate bank started with the collection of pigmy, Vijay bank was started for the farmers and corporation bank started from the Village for the common man and it has its head office is in Mangaluru. We will not allow the government to merge these banks. The BJP has the habit of getting publicity, they don’t have the patience to listen as they get the advice from Nagpur. The BJP should listen to economists and not the publishers. Our economy is in the ICU and the administration in the centre is in deep slumber. If there is “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikaas”, they would not have withdrawn the huge amount from the RBI. They would not think of merging the banks. The Prime minister should answer to 135 crore people of this country. People have already opposed the merger of banks. The bank employees have also protested against the merger. Congress will not allow the banks to be merged and in the coming days we will stage protests against it.”