New Delhi, March 15: A purported audio clip of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman pulling up State Bank of India (SBI) chief Rajnish Kumar went viral on social media on Saturday. In the alleged leaked audio clip, Nirmala Sitharaman can be heard describing SBI as "inefficient" and "heartless bank" because some 2.5 lakh bank accounts of tea garden workers in Assam were not functional. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Says DBT and GST Acknowledged Globally As Silent Revolutions.

The audio clip has a part of Sitharaman's speech delivered at a financial inclusion outreach programme in Guwahati on February 27, which was organised by the Department of Financial Services along with the concerned State Level Bankers’ Committees (SLBCs). She was upset because 2.5 lakh bank accounts in SBI belonging to tea garden workers in Assam had become non-operational due to a lack of acceptable Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements. Nirmala Sitharaman's Remedy For Ailing Auto Sector & Real Estate: Cheaper Loans, Easy EMIs.

Since the accounts were not functioning, the government was unable to extend benefits of the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme to tea garden workers. "State bank of India…no good if you tell me you are the biggest bank…you are a heartless bank," Sitharaman can be heard saying. She further asked how soon the accounts could be made functional, and an SBI officer is heard saying that the bank needed some clearance from the Reserve Bank of India, and it can be done within a week.

At this point, the Finance Minister says, "Don’t tire me out… don’t tire me out. (inaudible). SBI Chairman you will meet me in Delhi on this matter and I am not letting this go. This is utter omission of job. I hold you completely responsible for a failure and I shall have a detailed talk with you. (You should) get the accounts going and not one of the tea garden workers will suffer because of your obduracy."

Nirmala Sitharaman's Alleged Leaked Audio:

The audio clip was uploaded on YouTube Friday after which the All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC) condemned Sitharaman's "direct and unsavoury" attack on Rajnish Kumar. On Saturday, however, Sitharaman tweeted a letter by the AIBOC which said it had withdrawn the statement, claiming it was "erroneously issued".

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 15, 2020 11:04 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).