Day-long fast against merger of Vijaya Bank: MLC Ivan D'Souza

Mangaluru: MLC Ivan D’Souza announced that he would hold a day-long fast in front of the Gandhi Park at Town Hall in the city on January 8 against the merger of Vijaya Bank with Bank of Baroda.

Speaking at a press meet at Congress office on Sunday Jan 6, MLC Ivan said “Modi-led union government and its cabinet betrayed the people of Dakshina Kannada by merging our Vijay Bank with Gujarat-based Bank of Baroda. By this they have questioned our self-respect and projected us as fools. Our representative of Parliament sat mum at the time of bank merging procedures. But we will not allow our bank to be sold to someone. I will sit in front of Gandhi statue and perform one-day fasting.

“Vijaya Bank is only one bank which declared the dividends to its customers in the year 2017. It started with a vision of uplifting the farmers and the poor. This bank has played a vital role in the growth of our district. It has given employment for thousands of youths. But our MP is not aware of all this. He is not ready to speak a word against the merger. It is suspected that he had a major role in the merging procedure,” he explained.

“The public of the district is against the meger of Vijaya Bank with the Gujarat-based bank which is under a huge loss. Their only demand is to free the Vijaya bank from the procedures immediately. If it is not done, in the upcoming days there will be a series of protests,” he warned.

“On January 10 the Congress party will hold protest in front all branches of Vijaya Bank.  The employees of bank will also participate in this protest because it is question of their livelihood,” informed the MLC.

Relief distributed

Cheques worth Rs 5 lakh from the Chief Minister’s relief fund were distributed to beneficiaries prior to the press meet.