The bank strike scheduled on 28 August by AIBEA has been withdrawn. AIBEA has officially confirmed the same. AIBEA has said that discussions were held between AIBEA and Bank Management and Bank Management has accepted the demands of union.
The All India Bank Employees’ Association (AIBEA) had announced a nationwide strike set for August 28, 2024. The controversy began with a recent event in Kerala, where a local unit of AIBEA honored Pervez Musharraf, the former President of Pakistan. This decision quickly ignited outrage, with many bank employees and unions condemning it as an anti-national act. The backlash didn’t stop there—BJP workers also staged protests outside the event, expressing their strong disapproval.
Following the uproar, the Bank of India issued charge-sheets to 13 employees who were involved in organizing the event. AIBEA has since come to the defense of these employees, demanding that the charge-sheets be withdrawn. The association maintains that the event was simply a routine conference where Musharraf’s name was listed among other honorees, and they argue that the issue has been unnecessarily politicized. AIBEA has made it clear that if the charge-sheets are not revoked, they will proceed with the nationwide strike on August 28, 2024.
The situation also drew criticism from other banking unions. The National Organisation of Bank Workers and the National Organisation of Bank Officers strongly condemned the decision to honor Musharraf, viewing it as a severe insult to the memory of Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the Kargil War. They also criticized the Bank of India Staff Union for what they see as a deliberate affront to national pride and have called for immediate action from the Finance Ministry.
