<p class="bodytext">Members of the Vijaya Bank Retired Officers’ Association have alleged that the process of merger of banks started during the UPA government tenure.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Congress’ influential leaders like Oscar Fernandes and Veerappa Moily have, therefore, not commented or fought against it, the members pointed out.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Association’s Balappa Shetty accused some leaders of levelling allegations against BJP MP Nalin Kumar Kateel after the merger of Vijaya Bank with Bank of Baroda and Dena Bank.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“Vijaya Bank was a pride of Dakshina Kannada. The identity of the bank, however, was deprived after it was nationalised by former prime minister Indira Gandhi. No one had raised his or her voice against nationalisation of the bank. Now, some people are engaged in levelling allegations for political gain,” he alleged.</p>.<p class="CrossHead">Renaming road</p>.<p class="bodytext">Speaking further, he reminded that the Vijaya Bank Employees’ Association decided to rename Light House Hill Road after Vijaya Bank former President Mulki Sunder Ram Shetty, after obtaining permission from the Council of Mangaluru City Corporation and the state government.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“It was the Congress leaders who brought in a stay for the move, citing communal disturbance in the region. Those who had insulted Sunder Ram Shetty have no right to speak on the merger of the Bank,” Balappa Shetty demanded.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“Congress candidate Mithun Rai’s statement on re-establishing Vijaya Bank is childish. The Congress manifesto proposes to merge some more banks. In such a scenario, the statement of re-establishing the Vijaya Bank is only for political gain,” Shetty added.</p>
<p class="bodytext">Members of the Vijaya Bank Retired Officers’ Association have alleged that the process of merger of banks started during the UPA government tenure.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Congress’ influential leaders like Oscar Fernandes and Veerappa Moily have, therefore, not commented or fought against it, the members pointed out.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Association’s Balappa Shetty accused some leaders of levelling allegations against BJP MP Nalin Kumar Kateel after the merger of Vijaya Bank with Bank of Baroda and Dena Bank.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“Vijaya Bank was a pride of Dakshina Kannada. The identity of the bank, however, was deprived after it was nationalised by former prime minister Indira Gandhi. No one had raised his or her voice against nationalisation of the bank. Now, some people are engaged in levelling allegations for political gain,” he alleged.</p>.<p class="CrossHead">Renaming road</p>.<p class="bodytext">Speaking further, he reminded that the Vijaya Bank Employees’ Association decided to rename Light House Hill Road after Vijaya Bank former President Mulki Sunder Ram Shetty, after obtaining permission from the Council of Mangaluru City Corporation and the state government.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“It was the Congress leaders who brought in a stay for the move, citing communal disturbance in the region. Those who had insulted Sunder Ram Shetty have no right to speak on the merger of the Bank,” Balappa Shetty demanded.</p>.<p class="bodytext">“Congress candidate Mithun Rai’s statement on re-establishing Vijaya Bank is childish. The Congress manifesto proposes to merge some more banks. In such a scenario, the statement of re-establishing the Vijaya Bank is only for political gain,” Shetty added.</p>