AIBEA calls nationwide bank strike on Aug 28 to protest action against union officials

"The proposed strike is to show our protest against the action of Bank of India in charge-sheeting all the 13 office bearers of Bank of India Staff Union-Kerala under political pressure," AIBEA General Secretary C.H. Venkatachalam told IANS.

Venkatachalam also said four of the charge-sheeted employees are ex-servicemen, including three who took part in the Kargil war.

As to the reason for the en masse charge-sheeting of the union officials, he said: "The Bank of India Staff Union-Kerala is affiliated to AIBEA. The bank union had circulated a draft report of its activities to its members calling for comments and suggestions. The draft report of the Union General Secretary contained for obituary reference of 140 names of various international and national personalities who had passed away during the last two years. This is a customary part of the report in all Union conferences. Included in the list was the name of Pervez Musharraf, former President of Pakistan, who had died in 2023 as he was the former head of the country."

Meanwhile, people with vested interest created a controversy over the draft report having Musharraf's name, he added.

"The final report, which was placed in the Union's biennial general body meeting does not contain the name of Musharraf," Venkatachalam added.

However, the campaign against the Union that it had glorified Musharraf continued to portray it as anti-national, he said.

Instead of taking stern action against the persons who had created this deliberate controversy by false propaganda and brought its image down, the bank charge-sheeted 13 office bearers of the Bank of India Staff Union-Kerala, Venkatachalam said.

"In order to lodge a protest against the illegal action of the management and demand action against the culprits concerned who have created this false propaganda, it has been decided by AIBEA members to observe an all-India strike in all the banks," he added.