Odisha’s political heavyweight Naveen Patnaik has fired off a strongly worded letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, highlighting a grotesque banking fiasco in Keonjhar’s Malliposi village. Dated May 2, the missive details how tribal resident Jitu Munda was compelled to lug his deceased sister’s skeletal remains to the Odisha Gramin Bank on April 27 just to claim basic benefits.
After repeated futile trips, Munda’s plight peaked when bank officials stonewalled him, insisting on physical evidence of death. Citing RBI protocols, they dismissed his anguish, prompting this extreme measure. Patnaik labeled it a ‘chilling example’ of how banking red tape is crushing the spirit of marginalized citizens.
‘Democratic institutions must prioritize human dignity over rigid formalities,’ Patnaik asserted. The incident’s viral spread has fueled public anger, making headlines worldwide and embarrassing the central government.
Calling for swift action against the errant officials, Patnaik advocated for sensitive, localized banking reforms in tribal belts. He expressed faith in Sitharaman’s intervention to eradicate such dehumanizing practices nationwide.
This development comes at a sensitive time for Odisha’s ruling BJP, amplifying opposition voices on governance lapses. Will the Finance Ministry act decisively, or will this skeleton in the closet haunt public trust in banks?
