Bhubaneswar, May 2 Naveen Patnaik, BJD chief and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Odisha Legislative Assembly, on Saturday wrote to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, expressing anguish over a shocking incident involving a bank in Keonjhar district.
On April 27, Jeetu Munda, a 50-year-old tribal man from Odisha, took the drastic step of placing his deceased sister's skeletal remains outside a rural bank branch to prove her death and claim her savings.
Jeetu was distressed by the bank's requirement for "physical presence" to withdraw Rs 20,000 for his family's needs. In an extreme measure, he exhumed his the body of his sister, Kalra Munda, who had passed away in January, and brought her remains to the Odisha Grameen Bank in Keonjhar.
Patnaik urged the Finance Minister to fix accountability for the lapse and ensure rural banks deliver services with empathy and compassion. He stressed that such treatment of citizens must never be repeated, especially in remote tribal areas.
"I write this letter with a sense of deep anguish and urgency to highlight a shocking incident that took place on April 27 in the Malliposi branch of the Odisha Gramya Bank in Keonjhar district. A tribal citizen, Mr Jeetu Munda, was forced to exhume the skeletal remains of his sister and carry it to the bank as proof of her death in order to withdraw his rightful dues. This was after numerous unsuccessful visits to the bank where he failed to get assistance or clarity from the officials," the LoP said in the letter.
Patnaik condemned the bank's justification of this act by citing RBI guidelines, calling it "inhuman conduct" and a betrayal of the very citizens banks are meant to serve.
"What is more shocking is the bank's attempt to justify this inhuman conduct by citing adherence to RBI guidelines. This shows a disturbing intent on the part of the bank officials to hide behind procedures and abandon the very people they are meant to serve. I need not reiterate that in a democracy, rules are meant to empower citizens, not humiliate them," he said.
This horrifying incident, according to the BJD chief, has outraged public sentiment across Odisha and has also drawn attention in the national and international media.
"Madam, this incident, though isolated, gives us an insight to put in place a more humane banking administration, especially in remote tribal areas. To begin with, I urge you to ensure that clear accountability is immediately fixed for this shocking lapse. This will send a clear signal to all rural banks to guarantee citizen-centric service delivery with empathy and compassion," Patnaik said.
"I am sure, Madam, with your compassionate intervention, this kind of inhuman treatment of citizens shall not be repeated anywhere else in the country," he added.
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