Bank defies Uddhav, Raj Thackeray diktat, says will hire 'Marathi speakers'

Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena and Raj Thackeray's MNS have demanded that bank recruits only people from Maharashtra.

Public sector Central Bank of India, which was under pressure from Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to interview candidates only from the state, said it would recruit a person from any state if he or she knew Marathi.

According to the bank, it follows a centralised recruitment policy applicable to all public sector banks, but "some people made an issue out of a non-issue".

"When we called candidates for interview, it was a prerequisite that he or she must know Marathi. The persons selected must know the regional language as they are supposed to work in interior regions," Central Bank of India chairman and managing director M V Tanksale said.

"We have to follow the policy being followed by all PSU banks. When we invited applications, we had made it clear that candidates who opt for a particular state must know the language of the state. So in Maharashtra, a candidate will be selected only if he can read, write and speak Marathi. Where's the question of selecting a non-Marathi speaking person for the clerical post? Some people are making an issue out of a non-issue," Tanksale said.

Shiv Sena and MNS had put pressure on the bank management to select only sons-of-the-soil and threatened to disrupt the process if non-Maharashtrians were recruited for the branches in the state.

"We have completed the interviews in Maharashtra. There are around 400 vacancies in the state," Tanksale said. The bank is recruiting around 3,000 people for the clerical post across the country. "We follow the same criteria in all states. There's no other choice for me. This is a bank majority owned by the government."

"The selection process was done by Institute of Banking Personnel Selection. They released the ad, conducted the test, prepared the merit list and sent it to us. Selection of clerks for PSU banks is done in the same manner," he said.

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