PASSIVE RESISTANCE

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Dear Dharumi:

Though the verdict of the full bench of the Madras High Court is in favor of Saving the American College and justice has been done we find that still there are some elements that are blocking the smooth running the college. I understand the Tallakulam Branchof Indian Bank is one of them. Evidently there is some force on the bank not to look at the spirit of the judgment that Principal Chinnaraj Joseph is the rightful authority. Is there any solution one may wonder. Mahatma Gandhi has shown us a solution. Passive resistance. Let us remember the days when he wanted people of India to boycott foreign goods and what followed at that time.

May I appeal to all those interested in saving the college, faculty members and all friends of the College, to stop patronizing the branch of the bank and shift their deposits to other banks. If the account is needed for some statutory purpose like getting the salary credited one could keep minimum balance required for that purpose and withdraw the excess soon after each credit.

Banks understand this language. Here I wish to recall two historical events.

Many years a member of the Faculty was insulted by a cashier of the extension counter that was existing in the corner room of Main Hall near Bursars office. I am sure many people of my age group will remember this. As an immediate response several of us decided to keep minimum balance in the extension counter and use another bank for all other transactions. Immediately a compromise was arranged. Yet a few of us who shifted our banking operations to a different bank continued and that is how I ended up having my pension drawn through Indian Overseas Bank while many other pensioners of the College draw their pension through the bank on campus.

In the late sixties and early seventies when I was riding on the crest of my popularity in the College and was elected to the Governing Council of the College unopposed, I wanted a loan from our bank to buy a scooter. The bank manager at that time in a very sarcastic manner asked me whether I could get a person to stand as surety for the loan. I mentioned this to my friends in the faculty room and immediately about ten of them marched with me to the bank and all of them wanted to stand as surety for the loan and the manager didn't expect it. Though he apologized for his sarcasm I went to Canara Bank and got my scooter.

Some times bank managers amuse themselves by such acts and people will have to show them their limits.


V. SRINIVASAN



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