Bank unions search motion towards Gurumurthy

Bank unions, together with an workers union of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), have sought motion towards S Gurumurthy, Director on the Central Board of the RBI, for “the recent indecent and nasty remarks” allegedly about workers of public sector financial institution workers throughout his speech in one of many capabilities in Chennai within the presence of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

“The dirty and provocative remarks made by Gurumurthy that public sector bank employees are only ‘kazhichadaikal’ (hair thrown away after shaving) have seriously hurt the feelings and sentiments of the bank employees and officers at large,” the All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) mentioned in a letter to Sitharaman.

“They rightfully feel and demand that Gurumurthy should apologise and express regret,” AIBEA General Secretary CH Venkatachalam mentioned. “We also feel that such persons like Gurumurthy who have no sense of proportion and discretion in public behaviour and public expression, and have distorted understanding about public sector banks and bank employees should no longer continue as a member of the high office of the Central Board of the RBI,” AIBEA mentioned, looking for his removing from the RBI board.

“His remarks about public sector bank employees as scums, filths and left-overs and hence were not able to shift to private banks and hence they are left over in public sector banks is defamatory and derogatory. We strongly condemn his uncalled for and unwarranted comments,” the AIBEA mentioned.

“By the aforesaid action … he has brought the august body of the Central Board of the RBI to disrepute and has proved himself unworthy of such a high position — that is the unanimous opinion of bank employees…,” Samir Ghosh, General Secretary, All India Reserve Bank Employees Association, mentioned in a letter to the Finance Minister.

“We request you to set an example by taking appropriate action against Gurumurthy for his derogatory remarks against bank employees and thereby tarnishing the image of the RBI and also understandably, putting the Ministry of Finance at unease,” Ghosh mentioned.

In his reply to AIBEA, Gurumurthy mentioned, “The NPA issue, action against it by vigilance, CBI, CVC, not to miss the prudential norms, completely shook the bank officers. This gave a huge opportunity to the private banks and funds which had a heyday because the best loan accounts shifted to them. They began giving high salaries and attracting capable PSB officers.”

“Consequently, many capable officers left the PSBs, which left many filtered ones who could not go in the PSBs — for which I used the word ‘kazhichadaikal’, which actually means many could not pass through the filter, remained inside. It is a fact and I stand by it,” he mentioned.

“I requested the FM to talk on all this. I’m glad she got here closely in defence of PSB workers, which not many FMs in current occasions had had the braveness to do. What I mentioned that day in entrance of the FM ought to have made the PSBs introspect.

“It was not about all officers and certainly about all bank staff. Today no one can deny that many PSB officials lack the will, capacity and the knowledge in a complicated financial world to make credit decisions. They are also afraid because of the overhang of the enforcement and legal system,” Gurumurthy mentioned.

“You all think that me being in the RBI Board is a big thing. I was pressurised to take up that position as there were not many to put a counter view in the RBI Board. I did not need it nor did I seek it. For decades I had never taken any position in or from the government. Nor will I ever,” he wrote.