The Thrissur district committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a protest march, ‘Sahakari Samrakshana Padayatra’, against the frauds taking place in Co-operative Banks of the Kerala State.
Super Star Suresh Gopi, who served as the Rajya Sabha MP between 2016 and 2022, insisted that the agitation was not political in nature and that it was being conducted from a ‘humane’ perspective to protect the co-operative sector in the State and save lakhs of poor people.
BJP leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Suresh Gopi, on Gandhi Jayanti Day, undertook an 18-km ‘padayatra’ (foot march) along with thousands of party workers in Thrissur district of Kerala to protest against alleged corruption and money laundering at the CPM-controlled Karuvannur Service Co-operative Bank.
The actor-turned-politician paid floral tributes to the five people who died by suicide after losing their savings in the Co-operative Bank fraud. He met the families of the victims before beginning the ‘padayatra’ around 2 pm (October 2) from the Karuvannur bank in Irinjalakuda. The protest march was inaugurated by BJP State President K Surendran.
BJP will agitate all looted Co-operative banks in Kerala: Suresh Gopi
“This agitation isn’t pointed toward annihilating agreeable social orders or scrutinising their reality. These agreeable banks and organisations should work as long as they can return the ‘blood cash’ of destitute individuals. We won’t permit them to be closed down. This yatra is pointed toward fortifying the underpinnings of the helpful design,” said Suresh Gopi at the introduction of the dissent.
Suresh Gopi likewise expressed that the present dissent walk is only a sign. He added that the ‘Co-operative Protection March’ will, before long, stretch out to Kandala, Malappuram, and Mavelikkara, where all Co-operative bank reserves have been looted. He communicated his obligation to seek justice for the people monetarily cheated at the Karuvannur agreeable bank.
During the walk (Padayathra), he underlined that individuals who have been monetarily duped by deceitful people are collaborating and taking part in the Padayathra, making it a genuine agreeable activity.
Suresh Gopi called attention to the issue with co-operative banks in Kerala, which started with demonetisation. Around then, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan met with then Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to resolve the issues in the Co-operative banking sector. Suresh Gopi referenced that he was a MP at that time and was in that office.
Leftist State Government trying to save high-level CPI(M) leaders: K Surendran
March was inaugurated by BJP Kerala State president K Surendran. During the introduction, K Surendran expressed that the scams in the Co-operative Bank in the State were not revealed by the Crime Branch, Police, ED, or some other media, but by the poor CPI(M) individuals who were the victims.
It was just later that the Crime branch distinguished the criminals associated with the scam. K Surendran called attention to the fact that different organisations mediated when the State Government endeavoured to restrict the case to some party individuals, uncovering the association of high-level heads of the party.
K Surendran deplored that five lives could never have been lost in Karuvannur, assuming the Co-operative Bank of Kerala had followed the Union Government regulations. The RBI’s proposition was to interface Co-operative banks from all States to link Co-operative Bank from all States to a unified core banking system software. However, the Kerala Government went against it. K Surendran likewise required an investigation concerning AC Moideen’s (CPI(M) MLA & Ex-Minister) contribution in the scam.
Nonetheless, the agitation comes only weeks after BJP State President K Surendran said in a Facebook post that Suresh Gopi would be nominee as the party’s chosen one from Thrissur in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. However he had arisen third in the Thrissur electorate in the 2019 decisions behind the UDF and LDF. Suresh Gopi’s prominence saw the BJP’s vote-share ascend to 2.93 lakh votes from 1.02 lakh votes in 2014.
The Enforcement Directorate has been examining charges of illegal money laundering at the Karuvannur bank, where benami loans were endorsed supposedly to non-individuals from the CPM-controlled bank frequently by selling the properties of unfortunate individuals without their knowledge. The cash to the tune of ₹150 crore has been cheated out of the bank, ED has said.
The central agency has made a few arrests in the case, including the accused, Sathish Kumar, Kiran P P and CPI(M) local councillor P R Aravindakshan. It has likewise questioned CPI(M) MLA and previous minister AC Moideen and MK Kannan, CPM leader and State Vice President of Kerala Bank.
BJP needs CBI Investigation in all Co-operative Bank scams in Kerala: M T Ramesh
BJP State General Secretary MT Ramesh inaugurated the March concluding session. MT Ramesh has called for a CBI investigation into the funds of Co-operative Bank for the past three years. The Kerala Government is responsible for corruption in the Co-operative sector. The left-wing Kerala Government is attempting to protect CPI(M) leaders involved in the scam. CPI(M) members used the Karuvannur Co-operative Bank for money laundering, which has resulted in the current poor condition of the bank. The CPI(M) is using the blame on the Union Government as a strategy to hide their own corruption. M T Ramesh emphasised the need for a CBI investigation into irregularities in the Co-operative sector and highlighted the importance of implementing a unified software and core-banking system.
BJP leader and actor Suresh Gopi, on October 4, 2023, visited the depriving family of Sasi, an investor with the Karuvannur bank. Karuvannoor Co-operative Bank’s member, part restricted, was not permitted cash expected for treatment from the bank. He capitulated to his demise while in the Palliative Care Center after the surgery. He had acquired cash for. The family of Sasi (53), who died on September 30 in Karuvannur Thelapilly Kolangattuparam, approached with a grievance. The family was frantically attempting to get their deposit from Karuvannur Bank to meet his treatment costs. The family has Rs 14 lakh deposit at the bank, yet they could get just Rs 1.9 lakh towards meeting the costs.
Suresh Gopi encouraged the High Court to enlist a Suo motu case subsequent to taking cognisance of the situation of depositors of Karvannur Bank and intervening for the sake of the victims. He likewise guaranteed to offer monetary help to the family to repay their obligations. Suresh Gopi likewise gave vows to bear the cost of the monthly expenses for purchasing drugs for the mature mother, Thankam.
Later, addressing journalists, Suresh Gopi said that when changes to Co-operative regulations were made, elected Lok Sabha representatives like Shashi Tharoor and N K Premachandran emerged with numerous contentions against it. “However, where have they gone at this point? Didn’t they see the wretchedness of casualties of agreeable bank scams here?” he inquired.
