Lucknow: Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday targeted the BJP govt over the functioning of the banking sector, raising 12 questions concerning bank privatisation, charges on accounts, repeated KYC requirements, loan defaults, rural banking access and customer grievances.“If banks are strong, then why are branches and ATMs being shut in rural areas, forcing people to run around for cash? If banks are strong, then why are farmers, students and small shopkeepers unable to get loans without middlemen or guarantors?”The SP chief also highlighted concerns over cyber fraud, high interest rates on home and education loans, and delays in resolving failed digital transactions. “Why doesn’t a poor person get their money back immediately after falling victim to cyber fraud? Why are they made to run from the police station to the bank? Why are home and education loan interest rates so high that they are breaking the common person’s back? When digital transactions fail, why is people’s money held up for several days?” he asked.“If banks are strong, then why are young people labelled defaulters over a minor error in their CIBIL scores, jeopardising their future? Why is there no help desk in every branch to protect senior citizens and illiterate people from UPI and online fraud? If banks are strong, why are the legitimate demands of bank employees not being accepted, and why is there no fresh recruitment in banks? Why are existing employees under so much pressure that customer service is suffering?” the SP chief said.
