Post the article, the Centre fielded Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to respond to the Opposition’s attack. SBI chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya also sought to downplay the issue saying that efforts were on to recover the loans from the defaulters.
The expose by DNA on Wednesday highlighting how the State Bank of India (SBI) wrote off loans of 63 wilful defaulters, close to the demonetization move, caused a flutter both inside and outside Parliament.
Post the article, the Centre fielded Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to respond to the Opposition’s attack. SBI chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya also sought to downplay the issue saying that efforts were on to recover the loans from the defaulters. In the Rajya Sabha, Jaitley clarified, “the loans are only a write-off from the balance sheets and not a waiver.”
DNA’s story also exposed that the loans given to industrialist Vijay Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines, who heads the wilful defaulters’ list with outstanding dues of almost Rs 1,201 crore, and 62 others, was not shown in the SBI’s balance sheet. The story was picked up immediately by the Congress, CPM and other parties who used the revelations to question the government on the first day of the Winter Session of Parliament. Even before the session began, Congress splashed the story on social media, especially Twitter in a big way.
Congress spokesperson Randeep S Surjewala posted three tweets one after the other, raising question marks on government’s move. “As ModiJi’s blue eyed boy-Mallya gets a Rs 1,200 cr write-off, fighting black money is Political hypocrisy at its worst.” “Rs 7,000 cr write offs of 60 wilful defaulters by SBI proves that #SuitBootSarkar shields big sharks as people languish.”
When the story turned viral on social media, CPM leader Sitaram Yechury too raised the issue in Parliament seeking answers from the government.
Sharad Yadav from the JD (U) also referred to the issue and sought answers from the government.
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