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Naming, shaming student borrowers a human rights violation: NHRC
Chennai, Aug 6
Terming the bankers practice of
"naming and shaming" of students who defaulted on repaying education
loans as violation of human rights, the National Human Rights Commission
(NHRC) has issued notice to the Central Bank of India chairman.
It
has also issued notices to the district magistrate and superintendent
of police of Nilgiris district in Tamil Nadu and the manager of Central
Bank of India's Majoor Branch, Nilgiris.
In a statement, the NHRC
said it has taken cognizance of a complaint alleging harassment by
Central Bank of India by a education loan-taker and her family as the
bank had displayed the photographs of the girl student and her father as
"missing" and "defaulter".
It is alleged that the student
borrower's father died due to shock after receiving threatening
telephone calls from the bank despite paying off half of the loan amount
in the first month after the moratorium period.
According to the
NHRC statement, panel member Justice D.Murugesan has observed that
enforcing the practice of "name and shame rules" in educational loans
would certainly amount to serious violation of human rights.
"Publishing
photographs of parents and students (defaulters) have the potential of
exposing the students to irreparable loss, injury and prejudice," the
statement said.
"Apparently, the bank appears to have believed
that shaming the defaulters would pressurize the families to repay
outstanding educational loans. Such display of photographs of
defaulters of educations loan (who normally come from poor families and
particularly rural areas) would certainly amount to loss of their
dignity apart from violation of their human rights," the apex rights
panel said.