SC/ST Employees Association Alleges Caste Discrimination Faced by Female Officer in Uttar Bihar Gramin Bank

The All Gramin Bank Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Employees Welfare Association (AGBSCSTEWA) has lodged a formal complaint with the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) against the alleged harassment and discriminatory treatment of Ms. Sushma Minj, a senior Scheduled Tribe officer in Uttar Bihar Gramin Bank. The association has accused Riyazdin Ahemad, the Regional Manager, of continuous harassment and violating government-mandated transfer policies.

Allegations of Caste-Based Harassment and Discrimination

According to the complaint dated March 19, 2025, Ms. Minj has been subjected to targeted harassment since July 31, 2023, including the use of derogatory language and discriminatory behavior. Despite NCST’s intervention and directives issued on January 31, 2025, the Uttar Bihar Gramin Bank management has allegedly failed to take corrective action.

Image: Letter by All Gramin Bank Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Employees Welfare Association to National Commission for Scheduled Tribes

The letter details the Regional Manager's repeated discriminatory behavior, stating, “The primary perpetrator of this harassment has been identified as Shri Riyazdin Ahemad, who has repeatedly targeted her using derogatory and discriminatory language, including referring to her as a ‘widow’ in a derogatory manner. This is not only a violation of her dignity but also a blatant case of caste-based discrimination in a banking institution.”

Despite formal hearings under the NCST, the bank management has reportedly taken no action against the accused manager. Instead, the association claims that the bank retaliated by transferring Ms. Minj to a hardship branch and withdrawing staff from her previous branch, creating undue professional hurdles.

Notably, the regional manager’s authoritarian work style drew attention last year when bank unions called for his removal.

Transfer Violation at the Age of 58 Sparks Outrage

The association has also highlighted that the transfer of Ms. Minj violates a recent directive from the Department of Financial Services (DFS). According to the DFS order (F.No.8/1/2025-RRB) dated February 20, 2025, RRBs are instructed to avoid transferring employees over 55 years to remote or difficult branches. Despite this, Ms. Minj, who is 58 years old, has been forcibly transferred to a branch lacking even basic amenities, including a women's toilet, making the work environment particularly harsh.

“Despite the DFS directive exempting employees above 55 years from difficult postings, Ms. Sushma Minj has been transferred to a branch that lacks basic amenities, including a toilet for women. This blatant mistreatment not only violates her rights but is a direct challenge to NCST’s authority,” the letter states.

The AGBSCSTEWA has urged the NCST to intervene urgently by revoking the unjust transfer and initiating strict action against the officials responsible. The association warns that unchecked defiance of NCST’s authority could set a dangerous precedent for further discrimination against Scheduled Tribe employees across the banking sector.

With mounting concerns over the treatment of marginalised employees in RRBs, all eyes are now on NCST’s response to this escalating case of alleged workplace harassment and policy violation.