CHENNAI: Hundreds of CPM cadre on Wednesday staged a protest in front of State Bank of India’s branches in multiple locations across the Tamil Nadu, condemning the bank for seeking more time from the Supreme Court to disclose full details about the purchase of electoral bonds.
The cadre gathered at SBI’s zonal head office under the leadership of its senior leader G Ramakrishnan in Chennai and raised slogans against the bank’s lethargic attitude in furnishing the details as directed by the apex court.
Striking down the electoral bonds scheme, the Supreme Court had asked the public sector bank to make public the details of all the electoral bonds purchased since April 2019 by March 6. In turn, SBI recently sought an extension till June 30.
Ramakrishnan alleged SBI is indirectly lending hand to the BJP by not furnishing the details and thereby concealing how the scheme was misused by the ruling party. He further added the CPM would fight till the end to bring all details about the electoral bonds out in the public.
In Madurai, over 100 members of the party, led by CPM district secretary M Ganesan, staged a protest in front of SBI’s branch in West Veli Street. They said the bank is intentionally buying time until the Lok Sabha elections are over to favour the ruling BJP.
Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee announced a protest against the SBI across the state on Thursday. In Chennai, TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai will lead the protest in front of the SBI zonal office in Nungambakkam.
(With inputs from Madurai)