No interest must be charged and threats of harassment or any coercive action against the guarantors of the loan should be stopped
Srinagar: Joint resistance leadership Syed Ali Geelani, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mohammad Yasin Malik has strongly reacted to the repeated harassment by the authorities of various banks, especially Jammu & Kashmir Bank for the payment of loan installments along with the interest. They said that banks including J&K bank are meant for the welfare of the masses and are run by the support and financial partnership between them and the client. Terming the J&K bank as a premier financial backbone of the state’s economy, leadership said that this institution has come up as the major welfare and corporate hub not only in providing state’s youth opportunities to prove their talent and worth but is seen as a major partner in various social and developmental ventures. This bank is nourished by the hard earnings of the common populace and we believe it stands tall and distinguished amongst our so many glorious institutions. Pro-freedom leadership said big names need to have big heart as well and who else that the bank itself is witness to the turbulent and chaotic situation and shattered economy of the valley for the last 4 months where everything including the bread and the butter of a common man particularly transporters has come to a grinding halt. They said that we have been forced by our brute oppressor in such a bloodshed that, shouldering the coffins of our loved ones, attending to our injured countrymen, crying for our visually impaired kids and worrying about over incarcerated youth, we could hardly care about our economy for the last 124 days, where each person from every walk of life has contributed positively and encouragingly. Seriously concerned about the threats of account seizer of the “defaulters” and their guarantors, joint leadership made it clear that loan agreements between clients and bank is a contract impliedly subject to “force-majoure” clause, according to which no party can be held responsible for the non-performance due to the reasons beyond its control. Joint leadership has appealed to bank authorities particularly J&K bank to reschedule the payment of loans so that the clients need not to pay installments till the situation is normal and conducive of a meaningful economic activity. They further said that no interest must be charged and threats of harassment or any coercive action against the guarantors of the loan should be stopped as there is no willful default for making the payment. They said that unavoidable circumstances some time demand bold, courageous and pro-people steps from the public enterprises as they have done after the 2014 devastating floods. Resistance leadership has said that instead of using the basic necessities as the tools of exploitation (like puppet government) bank should extend their helping hand and try to sooth the wounds of the people. They further said that threatening and harassment are totally unwanted & illegal and bank authorities will be solely responsible for the repercussions and these unpopular and anti-people actions will tarnish image of this glorious economic and financial asset and it will lose its sheen just because of political misuse, ego and arrogance.