Shameful! SBI branch names and shames students, farmers who took loans

Agencies
December 14, 2020

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Chennai, Dec 14: The State Bank of India (SBI) in Tamil Nadu is at it again in naming and shaming of students who have taken education loans.

This time around, the Arakkonam branch of SBI has named and shamed the students who have taken education loans and the farmer borrowers.

"It is shocking to see the Arakkonam branch of SBI displaying the photos of students who have taken education loans and farmers who have taken farm loans outside the branch premises and also with a question 'do you want to figure here'," said T. Velmurugan, President, Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi (TVK).

"Has SBI kept the photo of Vijay Mallya outside its premises as a defaulter," he wondered.

He said many corporate loan defaulters like Mallya and Nirav Modi have escaped from India and some are living a luxurious life overseas and the Indian government and the banks have not taken any steps.

Velmurugan said the education loan borrowers may not be employed to repay the loan.

When IANS contacted the SBI's Arakkonam branch, a person who said he was the Branch Manager without disclosing his name said: "We can't share the information with the media. We have to get the permission from the law officer."

"The bankers are insensitive and if any student takes some drastic action after being shamed, will SBI take responsibility?" Education Loan Task Force (ELTF) Convenor K. Srinivasan told IANS.

ELTF guides students on rules and regulations governing the education loans offered by nationalised banks and it also insists students repay their dues.

Srinivasan said the education loan scheme has the facility of telescopic repayment facility over 15 year period. The first loan due falls one year after a student completes the course.

"The banks can give moratorium for three times during the currency of the loan if the borrower ends up in difficulties," Srinivasan said.

"Is the SBI willing to display the pictures of its corporate defaulters? Does it have the guts to publish the names of its top 100 defaulters? SBI shamelessly quote the Banking Regulation Act for not disclosing the big corporate defaulters.

"But in the case of poor students, it feels the banking law does not apply," Srinivasan a former banker posed.

According to him, bank officials try to create a wrong picture that education loan portfolio is default-prone. They are reluctant to handle this portfolio. It is really not so since the ticket size is very small compared with the loans and defaults of big industries.

This is not the first time that a SBI branch has named and shamed education loan borrowers.

In 2013, the Bodinayakanur branch of SBI in Theni district, around 515 km from here, displayed photos of students and their parents for defaulting on their educational loans.

At that time, the late President of DMK M.Karunanidhi had slammed SBI.

"When several money sharks are cheating banks of thousands of crores of rupees by not repaying loans, it is defamatory to display photos of students from poor and middle-class families for defaulting on education loans," Karunanidhi had said.

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News Network
November 19,2024

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News Network
November 27,2024

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Mangaluru: Dakshina Kannada MP Captain Brijesh Chowta recently met with Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnav to discuss urgent concerns regarding the region's railway infrastructure development. Key issues raised during the meeting included the long-pending Mangaluru-Bengaluru connectivity, the Shiradi Ghat stretch, and other vital railway concerns impacting the region.

In addition to discussing these issues, Captain Chowta submitted a letter requesting the Union Minister's intervention and support. The letter emphasized the need to merge Konkan Railway with Indian Railways and called for the doubling of railway tracks between Bengaluru and Mangaluru, which would significantly improve rail connectivity between the state capital and Mangaluru.

Further, Captain Chowta raised concerns about enhancing passenger facilities along the region's rail routes, particularly the need for better services between Subrahmanya and Mangaluru.

To bring more attention to these pressing issues, Captain Chowta took to social media, urging the state government’s support. In a tweet on his official X handle, he requested Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to expedite the resolution of these concerns. “In this direction, I request our Karnataka government led by CM Shri @siddaramaiah to kindly provide the necessary state support for the swift redressal of various concerns pertaining to both Konkan Railways as well as HMRDC to ease movement of both people and cargo in this important stretch between Mangalore and Bangalore,” he posted.

The meeting with the Union Minister was attended by Bengaluru Rural MP Dr. CN Manjunath, Udupi-Chikmagalur MP Kota Srinivas Poojary, and Uttara Karnataka MP Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri, all of whom supported the discussion on enhancing railway infrastructure in the region.

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News Network
November 27,2024

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Chandrashekaranatha Swami (left) with chief minister

Bengaluru: Amidst the ongoing Waqf controversy in the state, a Vokkaliga seer has sparked controversy by suggesting the disenfranchisement of Muslims, claiming it would end vote bank politics in India.

The provocative remarks were made by Kumara Chandrashekaranatha Swami during a protest organized by the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, a farmers’ organization with links to the RSS. The protest focused on farmers' lands being marked as Waqf properties.

"Politicians are exploiting this issue for votes. Muslims should be deprived of voting rights. This step is necessary to eliminate vote bank politics and allow India to prosper," the seer stated. He is the head of the Vishwa Vokkaliga Mahasamsthana Mutt, which was founded with support from JD(S) leader and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda.

The seer also made misleading claims about Pakistan, stating, “In Pakistan, minorities don’t have the right to vote. If we implement the same in India, Muslims would be isolated, and peace would prevail.” However, minorities in Pakistan have voting rights. 

Chandrashekaranatha Swami continued his criticism of the Waqf Board, accusing it of unlawfully seizing properties. “It is unjust to take someone’s property. We must ensure that the Waqf Board is abolished,” he said. He further emphasized the need for farmers' land to remain protected, even at the cost of political fallout.

Minister Condemns Remarks

Minister for Social Welfare, H.C. Mahadevappa, swiftly condemned the seer’s comments, stating, “After years of struggle, Baba Saheb Dr. B.R. Ambedkar established the principle of ‘one vote, one value.’ It is crucial for Dalits, backward communities, and minorities to understand its significance.”

He continued, "Those who spread hatred for political gain under the guise of religion must end their harmful rhetoric."

Earlier, Kumara Chandrashekaranatha Swami had stirred controversy by suggesting that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah step down to allow Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to assume the role of Chief Minister for the remainder of the term. The statement created a fresh political debate, raising questions about the power dynamics in Karnataka's ruling party.

The seer remarked, “Everyone has had the opportunity to hold the Chief Minister’s position, except D.K. Shivakumar. I request our experienced Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to vacate the post and bless Shivakumar with the opportunity.”

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