While HDFC Bank denied she is their employee, the clip has sparked major social media outrage.
A recorded phone call of a woman banker hurling horrific abuses at an Indian Army jawan over a loan dispute has gone viral, triggering massive outrage on social media. As the conversation veered into offensive comments about the soldier’s work, personal life, and martyrs, it triggered a broad public outcry demanding severe action.
The argument began as a standard loan recovery call. The soldier, whose identity remains unknown, questioned the high interest on his loan. "You approved me a loan of 15.85 lakh rupees," he said, pointing out a disparity within the transaction. How are you charging interest at 16.23 lakh rupees?” This query apparently angered the banker, identified as Anuradha Verma, leading to a shocking tirade of abuse.
The woman's comments quickly escalated from unprofessional to deeply offensive. Her insulting words and personal insults were directed at the military:
Mocking His Service: She said, “If you were educated, you'd be working in a good company. You're an idiot, that's why you've been sent to the border.”
Hurtful Remarks on Family & Martyrs: In one of the most condemned parts, she stated, “That is the reason why your kids are born disabled and you guys die at the border.”
Dismissing His Background: She taunted him, saying, “If he was from a good family would not be living [sic] 15-16 lakh on loan.”
Throughout the call, the soldier remained calm, warning her that he was recording the conversation and would take action.
The woman was initially identified as Anuradha Verma, an employee of HDFC Bank in Mumbai. Due to this identification, the bank faced a great deal of anger from social media users who demanded that she be fired immediately and subjected to severe punishment.
Facing a public relations crisis, HDFC Bank issued a swift and clear clarification. The bank officially denied that the woman was their employee. An HDFC Bank spokesperson stated, “We would like to clarify that the lady in the audio clip is not an employee of the Bank. Neither is the behavior depicted in the video appropriate nor consistent with HDFC Bank's principles.
The purpose of this remark was to disassociate the bank from the person's "bad" behavior.
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The viral audio clip sparked fury online. The woman's actions infuriated and disgusted social media users, particularly her remarks disparaging servicemen and sacrifices.
Some sensible users noted that since there was no hard proof connecting her to a particular bank, it was most probable that she was employed by a third-party debt collection service, which is notorious for its aggressive recovery strategies. However, everyone agreed her conduct was "unpardonable."
The incident not only points to the tough tactics often seen in loan recovery but also reinforces the immense respect the armed forces command in India.
