Distressed SCARD Bank depositors seek BJP’s intervention, Sat Sharma assures support

JAMMU: A large deputation of aggrieved citizens, whose payments of all matured Fixed Deposits (FDs) and Recurring Deposits (RDs) in the Jammu & Kashmir State Co-operative Agriculture and Rural Development (SCARD) Bank have been withheld since March 31, 2025, visited the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) headquarters at Trikuta Nagar, Jammu, to seek redressal of their grievances.

Sat Sharma, President, J&K BJP & Rajya Sabha MP, accompanied by Sanjita Dogra, and Gopal Mahajan, General Secretaries of party listened to their grievances in detail. The members of the delegation narrated in detail how nearly 15,000 depositors across Jammu region, many of them senior citizens, farmers, and middle-class families have been denied their own hard-earned savings amounting to nearly ₹200 crore. They expressed deep anguish that despite repeated representations to the Bank authorities, Registrar of Cooperative Societies (J&K) and concerned government offices, their pleas have gone unheard.

The delegation urged the BJP leadership to strongly advocate their legitimate cause and recommend urgent intervention by higher authorities, including legal and financial oversight bodies, to investigate the reasons behind the non-payment and ensure the immediate release of their dues. The deputation included Sarthik Sharma, D.S. Salaria, Naresh Kumar, Jaswant Singh, Makhan Lal, Bahadur Singh Jasrotia, Jagjit Sharma, Suresh Kumar, Ashok Kumar, Chaman Lal, Rahil Sharma, Kuldeep Raj, Gara Singh, Suraj Kant, Sat Paul Singh, Karan Singh, among many others.

Sat Sharma gave a patient hearing to every concern raised and immediately contacted the concerned authorities over phone to seek clarity and urge swift action. He stated that no citizen should suffer injustice regarding their own lifelong savings, and assured the depositors that BJP would pursue the matter with full seriousness. “Financial mismanagement, and unjust losses to the people, cannot be tolerated. We have communicated the matter to the concerned and asked them to ensure that the matter be taken very seriously. We have asked them to examine every fact thoroughly, to seek the early resolution and provide relief to the aggrieved”, said Sat Sharma.

Later, a deputation of mid-day meal workers, chowkidars, and other low-paid staff also visited the BJP headquarters to highlight issues of meagre and delayed wages. Sat Sharma, joined by Sunil Sharma, Leader of Opposition in J&K Assembly, assured them that their matter would also be taken up with the concerned authorities for early resolution.