LUDHIANA: Sikhs will oppose the merger of Punjab and Sind Bank with any other bank and make all sacrifices to foil attempts of the government.

This was stated by Sikh leaders, who participated in the rally organized by the Punjab and Sind Bank Staff Joint Action Committee against the merger here, Saturday evening.

The prominent Sikh leaders who addressed the rally, included Gurcharan Singh Tohra, president SGPC, Parkash Singh Badal, president, Akali Dal (Badal), Simranjit Singh Mann, president, Akali Dal (Mann), Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, president, Bharatiya Kisan Union and Kirpal Singh, president, Chief Khalsa Diwan.

He said that first attack on Punjab and Sind Bank was when it was nationalized. The merger of the bank with any other bank would further hurt the Sikh sentiments.

The SGPC chief condemned the army deployment in Punjab and ridiculed the statement of the Punjab Governor that it was for the help of the civil administration.

Mann said that the merger of Punjab and Sind Bank would not be allowed just as they had not allowed the construction of the SYXL canal, Parkash Singh Badal to fight a war with a nation”.

Badal cautioned that if Punjab and Sind Bank was merged with any bank, it would mean an end of the Sikh character.

He offered that the Sikh leaders were ready to go to Delhi to meet the central leaders to oppose the merger move.

He said that the government should announce a political solution to the Punjab problem.

Ajmer Singh Lakhowal said that the BKU should oppose the merger move and asked the employees to improve the functioning of the bank.

Kirpal Singh opposed the merjer and also its privatization.

Kirpal Singh said that PSB was rounded by Bhai Vir Singh, Sir sunler Singh Majitha, and Tarlochan Singh at Harmandar Sahib in 1908.

There were 14000 Sikh employees in the bank and the deposits were worth R.s 3000 crores, he said.

The convention sought that all managerial and executive staff, which pursued anti-Sikh policies, must not be appointed in Punjab and Sind Bank. The majority of the directors must be Sikhs as was the case before the nationalization.

The convention expressed concern at the infighting in the bank at higher levels of management and asked the same to restore a proper chance is of command. ‘The convention admitted that the staff of the bank cowed mot reader

 full customary services with traditional seal called upon the staff to provide best service the clientele.

The demand for the shifting of the head office of the bank in Punjab was a also made as large number of branches were located in Punjab.

The convention was of the view that the entire banking system required overhauling and more autonomy to take appropriate financial decisions.

The Sikh organizations all over the country and some trade associations have opposed the merger move and assured the employees their support  their fight against this move.

 NEW DELHI: Sikh leaders from different parties have opposed the proposed merger on the ground that the step would “destroy the bank’s cultural identity and would affect the economy of Punjab”.

A spokesman of the Anti-Merger Joint Action Committee Saturday said the bank had provided employment to a large number of educated Sikh youth and any attempt al merger would adversely affect the future of the employees.

Besides, the bank which was located by Sikhs in 1908, had greatly contributed to the industrial and agricultural development of the state, he said.

The spokesman said the Sikhs were emotionally attached to the bank since 90% of the total 15,000 employees were Sikhs.

CALCUTTA: Principal Secretary to Indian premier Amarnath Verma Saturday had an hour-long meeting with chief minister Jyoti Basu in Calcutta, capital of the eastern Indian state of West Bengal.

Premier P V Narasimha Rao is believed to have sent Verma to seek Basu’s advice regarding Chinese premier Li Peng’s ensuing visit to India and on December 11.

Sino-Indian relations were also believed to have figured during the meeting.

Article extracted from this publication >> December 13, 1991