New Delhi: In the wake of a nationwide strike against the privatisation of two public sector banks, the Congress party on Tuesday said the central government aims to sell the institutions to 'close friends'.
Speaking to the press outside Parliament, veteran Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge launched salvos at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over its decision to privatise state-run banks.
Kharge alleged that the government is undertaking a merger of banks so they run into losses and be sold to industrialists, who he said are the "close friends of the party in office."
The Opposition party asked the government to roll back the decision to privatise the banks and urged the government to listen to the bank unions.
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"No consent was taken from the bank unions by the government before taking the decision to privatise. People are upset with this one-sided policy of the government," said Kharge.
The senior minister added that India could survive the global recession as nationalised banks were working properly.
He recalled that former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had nationalised 14 banks with the aim to help the poor in securing and starting their own works.
Also Read: Privatisation will create level playing field for every bank: Fin Min
"The government is taking away permanent jobs from the poor. The SCs, STs and OBCs are most affected by this. Our party will raise the issue in Parliament and fight for their rights," Kharge added.
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