Raichur:
The wife of a man who committed suicide has sent her mangalsutra to Home Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday, demanding action against the staff of a microfinance company who allegedly drove her husband to take his own life.
The mangalsutra is a sacred thread worn by married Hindu women to symbolise their marital status and bond with their husbands.
Parvathi, the widow, has claimed that the staff members of the microfinance company harassed and tortured her husband, Sharanabasava, leading to his death. She has demanded immediate action against those responsible. Local organisations have also come forward to support her cause.
She had also met the Superintendent of Police of Raichur district and submitted a memorandum regarding the incident.
Sharanabasava reportedly died by suicide on January 17 by consuming poison in his village of Kapagal, near Manvi town in Raichur district. His family alleged that he was subjected to daily harassment by the microfinance company staff.
The man who died, who worked as a cab driver and labourer, had taken a loan of Rs 8 lakh from private microfinance companies. Unable to pay a few EMIs, he was allegedly harassed by their staff. Locals stated that many individuals in the region are on the run due to similar harassment by microfinance lenders.
Responding to the issue of torture by microfinance companies, Home Minister G. Parameshwara stated on Thursday in Udupi that microfinance companies are pressuring customers, engaging in physical assault, and seizing properties.
“There is no legal provision for such acts. If a police complaint is lodged, action will be taken,” he assured.
Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy, has urged the Congress-led Karnataka government to take appropriate action in this matter.
Sources have confirmed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has called for a meeting on this issue on January 25 in Bengaluru.
Reports suggest that Deputy Commissioners’ offices across the state are flooded with petitions seeking government intervention to stop the harassment by microfinance companies. In Belagavi district alone, 2.71 lakh applications have been submitted. Other districts with significant petition numbers include Bagalkot (89,037), Vijayapura (75,000), Mandya (42,500), Gadag (41,116), Dharwad (36,489), Ramanagar (33,326), Hassan (24,556), and Chikkaballapura (22,054).
Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai has accused the Congress-led state government of losing control over microfinance institutions (MFIs), leading to widespread harassment of vulnerable citizens.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara earlier acknowledged the issue, stating that the Finance Department must act against MFIs operating without proper licenses.
“We are not fully aware of unlicensed microfinance companies in the state, but the Finance Department must intervene,” Parameshwara said on Wednesday. He assured that complaints from affected people would prompt immediate action and investigation.
The minister also noted recent incidents linked to MFI harassment. “A woman in Tiptur town of Tumakuru district committed suicide due to harassment by MFIs. Similar cases have been reported in and around Tumakuru. We have registered cases and initiated legal action,” he said.
Parameshwara stressed the need for preventive measures but admitted that proactive monitoring is challenging.
“Guidelines exist for microfinance businesses, but violations, especially by unregistered entities, cause problems. Innocent people often invest their money and get trapped. Whenever such violations come to our notice, we will act decisively,” he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)