PNB Gwalior Protest 2022: Over 80 Days Long Protest by AIPNBOA in Gwalior

Hellobanker TeamNovember 8, 2025Last Updated: November 22, 2025

1 7 minutes read

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PNB Gwalior Protest 2022: In 2022, the Punjab National Bank (PNB) Gwalior Circle witnessed a prolonged agitation lasting over 80 days. The All India Punjab National Bank Officers’ Association (AIPNBOA), Gwalior unit, achieved something few could have imagined. Employees from the entire Gwalior Circle gathered every evening for more than 80 days to protest against the circle management. The employees claimed that the management was ill-treating staff and imposing excessive work pressure despite inadequate infrastructure. When the management failed to address their concerns, the employees united under the banner of AIPNBOA Gwalior, led by All India Punjab National Bank Officers’ Association (AIPNBOA) Gwalior Circle Secretary Shri Devbrat Singh Sikarwar.

The protest was led by AIPNBOA Gwalior Circle Secretary Shri Devbrat Singh Sikarwar. He refused to yield to the management and, responding to the employees’ demands, gave the call for protest. Initially, many in the banking fraternity assumed the agitation would end quickly. During this period, he faced both personal and professional attacks, and the staff were threatened with suspension, but they continued to fight together.

What was the main reason for PNB Gwalior Protest 2022?

As per reports and available information, the main reason for the protest in Punjab National Bank Gwalior was the anti-employee policies of the bank management. AIPNBOA Gwalior Circle Secretary – Shri Devbrat Singh Sikarwar stated that the newly joined Circle Head in PNB Gwalior tried to impose several illegal strict rules on staff, pressurised the staff for work amidst severe staff shortage, and imposed allegations of bribery on staff without proof. AIPNBOA said that the Circle Head even used unparliamentary language towards the staff, and the staff were feeling demotivated and helpless. When AIPNBOA Gwalior Circle Secretary Shri Devbrat Singh Sikarwar interfered, he was threatened and transferred. Finally, the staff decided to protest against the Circle Head, and the protest continued for over 80 days.

What AIPNBOA said? Below is the official letter issued by AIPNBOA GS 👇

#1) On 29.06.2022 Shri. Anant Kumar CH Gwalior instructed Shri. Vikas Kumar Branch Head BO: Sheopur over telephonic call, for renewal/review of 153 KCC accounts in a short span of time of 3 days by any means, to which Shri Vikas Kumar had shown his inability to complete the requisite work in desired timeframe and requested for additional time to get the work done as per Bank guidelines. Shri Anant Kumar CH Gwalior got angry over it and threatened Shri Vikas Kumar with suspension for insubordination of his duties, the audio clip of the same had already went viral in a popular social media platform (Youtube). A letter was also issued on the same day to Shri Vikas Kumar for his immediate relieving from the Branch.

#2) Subsequent to threatening by Shri. Anant Kumar, CH Gwalior, Shri Vikas Kumar went into severe depression and out of distress had mailed his grievances to CO HRD and ZO HRD on 29.06.2022. The employee was depressed to the level that he had mentioned in his message that he is contemplating suicide. Parents of Shri Vikas Kumar out of concern tried to intervene for resolving the issue, However, Shri. Anant Kumar, CH Gwalior again passed threatening remarks to his parents and filed application for lodging bogus FIR against Shri. Vikas Kumar and his parents at Gwalior and Sheopur Police Station.

#3) Shri. Anant Kumar, CH Gwalior then issued explanation call to Shri Vikas Kumar dated 05.07.2022 with baseless allegations and relieved him from incumbency and asked him to report to his 2^nd men in Charge, a Scale-1 officer against all the policy guidelines. Now the senior manager Mr. Vikas is being forced to work under scale 1 officer in the same branch. Mr. Vikas is now taking help of a psychiatrist to overcome his mental depression.

#4) Shri. Anant Kumar, CH Gwalior issued letter dated 02.07.2022 and instructed 12 branches under Datia District to attend Branch Review meeting on 03.07.2022, being 1^st Sunday of July month, even when all the Branches had been continuously working on all Non-working Saturdays & Sundays Since March 2022 to accomplish various corporate calls and looking into the issue faced by the officers, Shri Devbrat Singh Sikarwar, Circle Secretary AIPNBOA Gwalior requested CH to undertake the meeting via Video Call or postpone the meeting to next working day, to which Shri. Anant Kumar, CH Gwalior misbehaved and replied “Never Call me again”. However, due to personal exigencies some of the Branch Heads were unable to attend the captioned Branch review meeting.

#5) Shri. Anant Kumar, CH Gwalior visited four branches located under Datia District on 04.07.2022, post which he issued explanation Call dated 04.07.2022 alleging false charge of Corruption and bribery by the Branch Heads without any factual and material evidence on record. It’s worthwhile to note that CH had visited only four branches however similar letters calling explanation were issued to nine other Branch Heads, those who could not attend review meeting on 03.07.2022, mentioning falsely that “on 04.07.2022 the undersigned visited your branch” though he has not visited these branches and alleged in the letter the same charge of corruption and bribery by these incumbents. It is pertinent to mention that all the Branch Heads against who such false allegation is made had been posted in their respective branches only one month back at that point of time. How without visiting these branches and how within one month of their posting in these branches, Mr. Anant Kumar, CH could assess that they are running branches with the help of middle man & pressuring the applicant for payment of bribe? Circle Head himself had by then joined the circle just 38 days prior to creating such disruptions.

#5) Shri Anant Kumar, CH Gwalior issued letter dated 21.07.2022 addressed to our Circle Secretary AIPNBOA Gwalior with threatening language and sent copy of that letter to all Branches under CO Gwalior, restricting access of all retired employees to Branch premise without prior permission and violation of the same should be treated as illegal. In order to create further pressure tactic Shri Devbrat Singh Sikarwar Circle Secretary AIPNBOA Gwalior has been deliberately transferred prematurely.

#6) When resentment is shown on the issues in the form of agitation, the concerned official had resorted to various means to suppress it by lodging bogus FIR’s, issuing irrelevant transfer orders and draconian explanation calls & orders, to name a few.

#7) In order to aggravate his aggression, baseless allegations were made against the Branch Heads on being corrupt and accepting bribes, without any factual or material evidences and falsely stating that he had visited those branches. Un-parliamentary and unethical languages like “ISS BRANCH KA PANI PEENA BHI HARAM HAI”, “DATIA JILLA KA BRANCH HEADS BAHUT NEECH HAI” etc, were used during official conversations. Never in the history of our beloved organization we had ever came across such immature and harrowing behavior from a Senior Banker, carrying more than 29 years of service under his shoulder. Though we are not surprised since his behavior and conduct as Circle Head of Burdwan Circle was also questionable.

#8) The most shocking & disgraceful order issued by him is to prohibit accesses to our senior retired employees to branch premises without prior permission by pasting notice outside each branch. This can very much be treated as misbehavior with the retired officers and should be strictly dealt under “Attitudinal Complaints and complaints of misbehavior” policy of the Bank.

#9) The conduct of Shri Anant Kumar, Circle Head (CO Gwalior) is not only inhumane and barbaric, it is also plainly illegal. We have taken up this issue vide our letter dated 29.07.2022 and had also discussed in person with ED (HR) as well as with our MD & CEO on 18.08.2022. However, no concrete steps either taken by Zonal Manager, Bhopal or by HO authorities.

#10) In view of all the above, our officers at Gwalior circle are anguished and they are holding protest demonstrations after office hours in front of Circle Office for last 58 days intermittently such demonstrations are also held at all other circles under Bhopal Zone including demonstration in front of Zonal Office, Bhopal. We are committed to secure justice for our officer comrades and shall continue the agitation, escalate the same in the coming days including contemplating strike call.

Finally AIPNBOA won

The Bank Management tried its best to stop the protest. Shri Devbrat Singh Sikarwar was working as Branch Head in the Thatipur Gwalior Branch. He was removed from his position and transferred to the Jayendraganj Gwalior Branch. As per information available, he was one of the best performers in the Gwalior Circle and had helped the Punjab National Bank Gwalior Circle in achieving its business targets. As per reports, all this happened while he was soon to become a father. The members and other leaders praised him for his sincere dedication to AIPNBOA.

Several media channels reported that the staff were united and prepared to face any consequences. They had asked the bank management to transfer the Circle Head; otherwise, the protest would continue indefinitely. Initially, the bank management did not accept their demands and used intimidatory language towards the staff in an attempt to stop the protest. But after more than 80 days, the management finally gave up and accepted the employees’ demands. As per reports, the Circle Head was also transferred from Gwalior to Bhopal. This was a major victory for AIPNBOA Gwalior and demonstrated that when there is dedication and courage, even the government and bank management are compelled to step back.