Protest over transfer of SBT Chief General Manger

Thiruvananthapuram: Protests are growing over the decision to merge State Bank of Travancore (SBT) with State Bank of India and transfer of SBT Chief General Manger S. Adikesavan, who opposed the merger, from here to Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Official sources said that the Chief Minister Pinarai Vijayan will write to the Prime Minister demanding withdrawal both the decisions.

 KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran demanded that the transfer of Mr. Adikesavan should be cancelled. He was transferred as a vindictive measure before his three-year term here as Chief General Manager ended.

Employees of SBT staged a demonstration in protest against transfer before the head office of the bank here this morning. Protests were also staged in other centres in the State.

Update:

The Chief Minister wrote to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him examine the complaint that the transfer of Adikesavan was vindictive.

The people of Kerala were against the merger of the two banks.  Kerala Assembly had adopted a resolution in tune with that. Mr. Adikesan also took that view.

Citing the memorandum of the Save SBT Forum, the Chief Minister said that the forum thought that transfer was a vindictive action taken by the bank because of the view taken by the Chief General Manager.

Veteran CPI (M) leader V. S. Achuthanandan said in a statement that the transfer was deplorable and demanded that the transfer should be cancelled.

He called upon the people to come forward to resist the vindictive action of the bank authorities and the proposed merger.