SURGUJA: Protesting against the assault by an MLA from Congress, employees of cooperative banks under the Surguja division announced going on mass leave for two days from Wednesday (April 5).
It shoudl be noted that Cooperative banks play a significant role in paddy procurement and disbursement of short-term agricultural loans to farmers in the state.
In a video that has widely circulated online, Congress MLA Brihaspat Singh is purportedly seen hitting two bank employees in Chhattisgarh. According to a report, Singh allegedly assaulted the workers of a cooperative bank in Balrampur-Ramanujganj district on Monday.
Citing complaints of financial discrepancies and misbehaviour, the Ramanujganj MLA reportedly admitted to thrashing the employees of the Ramanujganj branch of the Zilla Sahkari Kendriya Bank. He said that he received a complaint from a 70-year-old farmer, Lakhan Singh, a resident of Mahaveer Ganj, who faced misbehavior while he came to withdraw his money.
Misbehaviour with farmers will not be tolerated, he said.
On Tuesday, a group of employees submitted a memorandum addressed to chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, to the Inspector General of Police (Surguja range) in Ambikapur town seeking action against Singh. As per the memorandum, Singh allegedly slapped and abused clerk Rajesh Pal and peon Arvind Singh in front of hundreds of farmers during office hours.
Talking to reporters, the President of Zilla Sahkari Kendriya Bank Karamchari Sangh Ambikapur R K Khare said cooperative bank employees are angry and pained over the assault on the staffers.It is the responsibility of public representatives to protect government employees and their interests, but if they themselves start torturing them where they will go? he asked.
Meanwhile, the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded the sacking of Singh as MLA for the violent act.”The Congress party should immediately take action against Singh for committing such a violent act. He should be dismissed from the post of MLA,” state BJP spokesperson Kedar Kashyap said.