MALAPPURAM: The general council meet of the State Bank of Travancore Employees Union (SBTEU) concluded here on Sunday with a call for a series of protests against the decision to merge the SBT and other associate banks with the SBI. They will hold marches and dharnas throughout the state and in New Delhi and observe day-long hunger strike at district headquarters on Sep tember 12, the foundation day of SBT.
It planned a relay hunger strike in Delhi in September last week, a Raj Bhavan march in October and a Parliament Maha Dharna in November. Besides, a signature campaign will soon be launched meeting around a million SBT customers throughout the state seeking their signature against the merger. Meanwhile, the Save SBT Forum of employees and clients backed by the union has decided to hold a 'people's' assembly' on September 6 at Martyr's Column in Thiruvananthapuram.
In a resolution adopted at the end of the two-day meeting, the Union has pointed out that despite public interest, SBI management was trying to rush the process violating all norms and due processes of law, transparency and good governance practices. "In the eagerness to create a global bank, national priorities and mass banking will be altered adversely affecting hundreds of thousands of customers and productive sectors. So we demand the Government put an end to the merger taking into account the views and demand of the people of Kerala, Kerala Assembly, MPs and stakeholders including customers and shareholders," said K.S Krishna, gen. secretary.
