Did AIBEA ‘Honour’ Parvez Musharraf, Former President of Pakistan? ‘Anti-national Motive’ or ‘Poisonous Propaganda’?

The recent draft condolence resolution by the Bank of India Staff Union (BOISU, affiliated to AIBEA) in Kerala has ignited controversy due to the inclusion of former Pakistan President Parvez Musharraf’s name. The condolence resolution that included Mushrraf’s name along with 139 others was presented at the Kerala State Conference of BOISU in Alappuzha. The situation has escalated with accusations of anti-national motives and protests from various quarters.

The Controversy

A picture of the draft condolence resolution, listing numerous names in Malayalam, circulated on social media, revealing Musharraf’s name among those commemorated. This sparked immediate backlash from the National Organisation of Bank Workers (NOBW) and the National Organisation of Bank Officers (NOBO), both affiliated with the Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS). They issued a joint communication condemning the inclusion as an “anti-national” act.

Locally in Kerala, BJP workers protested outside the conference venue in Alappuzha town, demanding accountability from the union. The controversy has brought intense scrutiny and criticism upon the AIBEA.

(The joint communication issued by NOBW-NOBO) 

Clarification from AIBEA

The All India Bank Employees Association (AIBEA) has categorically denied the accusations. In a statement, General Secretary C H Venkatachalam clarified, “In the said Conference Report of BOISU, 140 names of various leaders and personalities were mentioned in the draft condolence resolution. Name of Pervez Musharraf (who died last year) being the former President of our neighbouring country was also mentioned. When some people pointed out that this name can be deleted as some are creating avoidable controversy over the same, it was deleted and in the condolence resolution passed by the conference his name was not mentioned.”

(The circular issued by C H Venkatachalam, General Secretary, AIBEA)

Venkatachalam emphasised that the inclusion of Musharraf’s name in the draft was not an act of honoring him but a customary practice of expressing condolences for notable deceased personalities. He accused NOBW and NOBO of engaging in “poisonous propaganda” with a “narrow political mindset” to create unnecessary controversy.

NOBW and NOBO have accused AIBEA of being anti-national. In response, Venkatachalam defended AIBEA’s patriotic credentials, stating, “AIBEA's patriotic credentials need not be proved to these vested interests as the country and the people at large know very well about our organisation for the past nearly 8 decades.” 

The AIBEA chose to rebut highlighting NOBW’s membership number 71 as opposed to AIBEA’s 20,180, among Bank of India employees. The employees association has urged its members to ignore the accusations and focus on the union’s primary objectives of employee welfare and industry betterment. 

The circular also states that the issue will be discussed in the next meeting of the United Forum of Banking Unions(UFBU). AIBEA is the largest union in the country for bank employees. NOBO & NOBW are members of the UFBU where AIBEA is the largest constituent.