In a significant development, the Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank announced on Friday the release of ₹10,000 to Anandavalli, an elderly resident of Irinjalakuda. This financial aid comes after a highly publicized incident where Union Minister of State for Tourism, Suresh Gopi, allegedly ‘mocked’ her during a public interaction session, the ‘Kalunku Souhruda Samvadam’, as she sought assistance to recover her deposit from the fraud-hit bank.
The disbursed amount is specifically intended to cover Anandavalli’s essential medicine purchases. Her visit to the bank, which garnered considerable attention, was facilitated by workers from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)], who intervened following the controversy surrounding the Minister’s comments.
The incident that sparked public outrage occurred recently when Anandavalli approached Mr. Gopi during his public outreach, requesting his help to reclaim her ₹1.75 lakh deposit from the troubled bank. The Minister’s response, advising her to instead approach the Chief Minister, was widely reported and led to widespread criticism and public discussion.