Is AIBEA Anti-Hindu? Why are users criticizing AIBEA on Social Media

Users are strongly criticizing AIBEA on social media — but why? Recently, AIBEA posted a message criticizing the government’s Karmayogi training program for bank employees. According to AIBEA, the government is “trying to mix religion” with professional training through this initiative. Let’s understand what this actually means.

In the Karmayogi training provided to employees, the video session begins with a short story from the Ramayana. The training aims to instill qualities such as confidence, honesty, integrity, dedication, and compassion among employees.

The video narrates how Lord Hanuman realized his inner strength and helped Lord Ram in his victory over Ravana. Initially, Hanuman had forgotten about his true power until Jambavan reminded him of it. The message conveyed through this story is simple — every human being has immense potential; we just need to recognize it.

THE VIDEO NARRATION GOES LIKE THIS:
Hanuman had forgotten his true inner power and hence was standing there not knowing how much he can contribute. The Ramayana tells us that Jambavan reminded Hanuman of his true inner power. Once Hanuman remembered this and accepted that he had this power, he was able to understand how much he can make a big difference in helping to bring back Mother Sita. He took a mighty leap and became a force to reckon with to rescue Mother Sita as well as the destruction of Ravan Raj. Similarly, in each one of us there is a tremendous inner power which if realised can increase our power to contribute….

AIBEA has objected to the programme, stating that the government is imposing Hindu religion on others. The association said that public sector banks are secular institutions and should not be used to indirectly promote any particular religion. According to AIBEA, this has hurt the religious sentiments of many bank employees. The association has requested the Secretary of the Department of Financial Services (DFS) to intervene and remove such content from the training programme.

As soon as AIBEA uploaded this on the social media platform X, users began criticizing the association. Many users said that the Ramayana is one of India’s greatest epics and is widely respected across all religions in the country. They pointed out that the training video only includes a short segment featuring Lord Hanuman, and there is nothing wrong with that. Lord Hanuman, they said, is the perfect example of realizing one’s inner strength. Users also accused AIBEA of disrespecting Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman.

For instance, many Western leadership courses use stories from the Bible, Greek mythology, or historical figures like Socrates and Aristotle — not for religious worship, but for moral and ethical learning. Similarly, using a story from the Ramayana should be viewed as part of India’s cultural heritage rather than a religious imposition.

Moreover, employees and citizens argue that public sector institutions are part of Indian society, which naturally reflects the country’s culture and traditions. Respecting cultural symbols does not mean violating secularism. Instead, rejecting such references altogether might reflect an overly rigid interpretation of secularism, one that denies India’s rich civilizational context.

Many users on social media said that AIBEA should focus on employee welfare, working conditions, and policy reforms instead of raising unnecessary controversies over harmless motivational content.

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