During an Outward clearing at the City Back Office of an Indian
Public sector bank at Pune cheques were received from other banks for
presentation, as usual. These cheques when cleared would have credited the amount
mentioned on those cheques to the accounts of the customers of this bank.
The Branch Manager plainly ordered one of his sub-staff to tear
the cheques, and gave him a bundle of almost three hundred cheques. This sub-staff started cutting
those cheques with a scissor. Later he decide to use his hands, as he found that
it was a lot easier to tear them with hands. He was about to tear all of those cheques, But he was interrupted by another sub-staff who suggested him to ask
the manager, whether he really wanted him to tear those cheques. So he took his
advise and went to the Branch Manager to obtain confirmation of his order.
The moment he finished his question the Branch Manager got shocked.
The Branch Manager calmed and composed himself and called his
subordinates to control the damage that had been done. He decided to solve the jigsaw puzzle of the torn cheques and
stick all the pieces together. His sub ordinates co-operated and the
cheques were processed and credit was obtained.
However a few days later another sub-staff working at this branch whispered, had he
been the one who tore those cheques he would have been suspended immediately or
at least transferred. But see the fate of this sub-staff, the Branch Manager did not
even scold him. Very true!
It happened because the Branch Manager was a Brahmin and
the employees of this Bank in Pune are mostly Brahmins. The Branch Manager was
the one who had plainly ordered the sub-staff to tear those cheques, he did not tell him in detail that he wanted him to tear the perforation on the cheques. The sub-staff had merely
followed the orders. He is rightly the sub-staff because he is expected to
follow orders and not question them. The Management basically wanted to save
the Branch Manager, but the sub-staff got saved in process.
Caste based politics decides the fate of many employees
in Indian Public sector banks.
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