Naveen Patnaik Seeks Sitharaman's Intervention In Tribal Man's Case

Naveen Patnaik calls for Nirmala Sitharaman's intervention after a shocking incident in Odisha where a tribal man was forced to exhume his sister's skeleton to prove her death to a rural bank, highlighting the need for compassionate banking practices.

Noting that rules are meant to empower citizens and not to humiliate them, BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Saturday sought Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's "compassionate intervention" over an incident in Odisha, where a tribal man exhumed his sister's skeleton and produced it as proof to withdraw money from a rural bank.

Patnaik, the Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly, in a letter, urged Sitharaman to ensure that clear accountability is immediately fixed for this recent incident, which took place in Keonjhar district.

Call For Accountability In Odisha Bank Incident

"I urge you to ensure that clear accountability is immediately fixed for this shocking lapse. This will send a clear signal to all rural banks to guarantee citizen-centric service delivery with empathy and compassion," the former chief minister said.

Noting that he wrote with a sense of deep anguish and urgency to highlight the incident that took place on April 27 in the Malliposi branch of the Odisha Grameen Bank, Patnaik said Jeetu Munda was forced to exhume the body of his sister and carry it to the bank as proof of her death to withdraw his rightful dues.

The tribal man had exhumed the skeletal remains of his sister Kalra Munda (56), who died in January. He then walked around 3 km to the Maliposi branch of the Odisha Grameen Bank and produced it before the official as proof of her death. A video of Munda carrying the skeleton has gone viral on social media.

Inquiry Findings And Bank's Response

Referring to the findings of the state government's inquiry into the matter, Patnaik pointed out that the tribal man was forced to carry the skeleton of his sister following numerous unsuccessful visits to the bank, where he failed to get assistance or clarity from the officials to resolve his issue.

"What is more shocking is the bank's attempt to justify this inhuman conduct by citing adherence to RBI guidelines. This shows a disturbing intent on the part of the bank officials to hide behind procedures and abandon the very people they are meant to serve," Patnaik said.

The five-time former chief minister of Odisha mentioned in the letter: "In a democracy, rules are meant to empower citizens, not humiliate them. This horrifying incident has outraged public sentiment across Odisha and has also drawn attention in international media."

Political Reactions And Defence Of Bank Manager

The BJD president also said the incident, though isolated, gives all an insight to put in place a more humane banking administration, especially in remote tribal areas.

While reacting to Patnaik's letter to Sitharaman, Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan ridiculed the BJD president and reminded him about the decade-old Dana Majhi episode.

"What happened in the Dana Majhi case? Then he (Patnaik) was the chief minister. Here in Keonjhar matter, a banking system is linked. The bank people have not handled the matter properly. But in the Dana Majhi matter, it was a state matter," the minister said.

Odisha BJP leaders raised a decade-old incident of Kalahandi district where a tribal man, Dana Majhi, on August 16, 2016, carried the body of his wife on his shoulder after having been denied a hearse by the hospital authorities.

Calling Patnaik a "letter-writing leader", Harichandan said, "The BJD leaders cannot do anything better for people than writing letters and making noise on social media. Our chief minister has taken a proactive step, ordered an inquiry and took steps promptly."

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Paraida had also raised the Dana Majhi issue in the Assembly on April 30 when a special session was convened to discuss women's reservation in politics.

Bank Association's Stance And Government Response

Meanwhile, Odisha Grameen Bank Officers' Association at a press conference announced that they would strongly oppose if any action is taken against the manager of the bank.

"The Bank manager has gone by the rules. How can money be withdrawn from the account of a dead person without a death certificate and a legal heir certificate. We will protest if any action is taken against the manager," said association president Manabhanjan Mishra.

Odisha Revenue minister Suresh Pujari denounced the officer association's views and held the bank manager responsible for the entire episode.

"Let the RDC inquiry report come, which initially found bank officials at fault. The state government will recommend stringent action against the officers," Pujari said, adding that had the bank been governed by the state government, the concerned officer would have been suspended by now.

Patnaik also appreciated Physics Wallah founder and CEO Alakh Pandey, who donated Rs 10 lakh to Jeetu Munda.

"I am deeply moved by your humanitarian gesture of donating Rs 10 lakh to Jeetu Munda, who endured the tragic ordeal of exhuming his sister's remains to present as proof of death before a bank," Patnaik wrote to Pandey.