Don’t merge Punjab and Sind Bank into others, demands DSGMC

Maintain its unique identity and name, which represents Sikhs and Punjabi

New Delhi, Dec. 29 (Punjab Post Bureau) – The President of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee Manjit Singh G.K. has launched a campaign to save merger of Punjab and Sindh bank into 15 other banks as proposed by the finance ministry, Government of India. Today, he held a meeting with the former Chairmen of the Punjab and Sindh Bank, employees and customers. G.K. said the bank represents the foresightedness of the Sikh and Punjabi community who took lead way back in 1908 launching the bank.

At that time, G.K. said, eminent Sikhs led by world renowned theologian Bhai Vir Singh launched the bank, when there were a very few financial institutions in the country and majority of them were controlled by the Britishers. “Since, Punjab and Sindh bank stood up for the pride and honour of the countrymen”, G.K. said. In his address G.K. said when in 1980 the bank was nationalized it was promised by the Government of India that it’s Punjabi and Sikh character will not be changed. “But now, with merger the government is going back on its promise and we will not let this happen”, G.K. said.

He added that the word Punjab and Sindh in the title of the bank gives it a historic perspective, and represents Punjabi culture and traditions. The bank was a key driving force for green revolution in North India, it supported and helped businesses to grow and also the initiatives and projects launched by the state government and government of India, G.K. informed the gathering.

The president of DSGMC said, a major section of the employees in the bank are Sikhs and it has large customer base from the community with whose money bank grew and invested into public and the private sector. The bank is not in the loss, so I ask the Government of India to honour its unique identity, and let it function the same name and individual nature with which it has been functioning for 109 years.

DSGMC General Secretary Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, “it is sad that for past 40 years we are making efforts to save our institutions and are unable to raise new”. “It is not a good sign that we are restricted to ourselves and are unable to expand,” Anandpur Sahib MP Prem Singh Chandumajra praised the move, and stressed on the need to launch a fight to save identity of Punjab and Sindh Bank. Former top executive of bank GS Bedi, Harcharan Singh, RP Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Dalbir Singh said that the bank was in profits and asked more and more people to open accounts in it so the decision makers be influenced against bank’s merger.

Former MP Tarlcohan Singh and former vice chancellor of Punjabi university Dr. Jaspal Singh also spoke on the occasion. They suggested that the issue should not become part of a political slogan but a genuine case be made so that the merger is averted.