Kerala SNDP faces heat in micro-finance scam
Women suspect the loan repayments they had made were diverted by vested interests and not accounted for
Thiruvananthapuram: The Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, which recently floated a political outfit named Bharatiya Dharma Jana Seva (BDJS), has run into an image crisis after being alleged of cheating dozens of people who invested in micro-finance schemes initiated by the community leadership.
On Wednesday, a few dozen women protested outside the SNDP office in Kayamkulam, alleging that they were being served property attachment notices by banks despite having paid back loans they had availed under the micro-finance scheme.
The women suspect that the loan repayments that they had made were diverted by vested interests and not accounted for. As a result, their properties now face attachment by the lending institutions. The micro-finance scheme had been promoted by the SNDP with the stated purpose of helping rural families cope with their financial difficulties.
Last month, the special judge and inquiry commissioner looking into the case had ordered a preliminary inquiry into the micro-finance case, including the alleged involvement of SNDP Yogam general secretary, Vellapally Natesan.
The micro-finance case involves alleged irregularities in utilisation of funds secured from the Kerala State Backward Classes Commission for micro-finance operations initiated by SNDP.
Earlier this week, Kerala Opposition leader, V.S. Achuthanandan had ridiculed Natesan, commenting that the commandos provided for Natesan’s security where in fact to protect him from the wrath of women who were cheated in the micro-finance scheme.
Natesan added to the image crisis on Wednesday, remarking that the “politics of BDJS is one of opportunism”, pointing out that “politics of principles do not work now”.
He claimed that both the United Democratic Front and Left leaders had held discussions with him, but both sides denied Natesan’s claim.
Meanwhile, political observers say that the Bharatiya Janata Party’s state unit may woo the Kerala Congress (M), because the BJP was yet to strike a deal with the BDJS. KC (M) leader K.M. Mani is yet to speak his mind about aligning with the BJP, despite rumours of his likely cross over to the BJP camp doing the rounds since the time he quit from the cabinet following bribery allegations.
