Ivan D’Souza begins day long hunger strike against Vijaya Bank merger

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Jan 08, 2019: A day long hunger strike opposing the merger of the profit making Vijaya Bank with the loss making  Gujarat based Bank of Baroda, commenced   under the leadership of MLC Ivan D’Souza  on January 8, Tuesday  by garlanding the  statue of the Mahatma Gandhi in front of Town Hall.

 

Later, Ivan and other participants of the hunger strike also garlanded the portrait of AB Shetty, the Founder of Vijaya Bank.

In his address, Ivan said it was highly condemnable on the part of the Union Government to  merge Vijaya Bank with another Bank which has incurred a loss of over Rs 4,000 crores.

Describing Vijaya Bank as the pride of the district, he said merger of banks was not a solution to the problem of loss making banks and urged the government to bring out a white paper on the financial position of  already merged banks.

Ivan also deplored the silence  of the local MP on the issue and  said  protests will be held until the demand was conceded.

Surendra, President of the Mangaluru unit of All India Bank Officers’ Organisation, MLC and District Congress Chief Harish Kumar, Deputy Mayor  Muhammad K, former Mayor Shashidhar Hegde and others were present.