The All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) expresses outrage and severely condemns the brazen demand for sexual favours from a woman farmer that was made by the Bank Manager of the Datala Branch of the Central Bank of India in Malkapur tehsil of Buldana district in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. The woman farmer’s husband had applied for a crop loan. The Manager has sunk to the lowest depths of humanity by seeking to misuse his position to exploit their need for credit.
Rajesh Hivase, the Branch Manager called up the woman, used obscene and lewd language and demanded sexual favours for clearing the loan request. He had the audacity to send a peon to the woman’s house asking her to comply. However, the woman recorded the phone call of the manager and submitted the recording to Malkapur Police station in Buldana. A police complaint has been registered against the bank manager and the peon.
The farmers are in a distress situation in our country. Crop loans are being denied to small and middle farmers. This incident exposes how the administration is taking advantage of their extremely insecure position, increasing the exploitation of women farmers. It is shameful that there is complete apathy of the Maharashtra state government towards the plight of the farmers. The last four years have seen the highest number of farmer suicides in the country.
In a situation where women farmers, who overwhelmingly contribute to agricultural production, are severely marginalised from access to credit and other services, this incident highlights their vulnerability and lack of security. It also highlights the failure of theFadnavis government’s claims of ensuring ease of access to bank credit for farmers in Maharashtra.
AIDWA demands the immediate arrest of the Bank Manager and his accomplice and their dismissal from service. The Maharashtra state government must immediately take steps to provide loans to the farmers for this sowing season.
An AIDWA team from Maharashtra will meet the concerned woman and her family and extend all support to her in her fight for justice. AIDWA and AIKS in Maharashtra have given a call for immediate demonstrations all over the state to condemn this shocking incident.
