New Delhi, March 17 -- Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Raghav Chadha has urged the government to end minimum balance penalties being charged by some banks, stating that they have collected a staggering Rs 19,000 crore in the last three years as from customers for not maintaining a minimum account balance.

Chadha, who participated in the debate on the appropriation bill, termed it "legalized pickpocketing".

"Rs 19,000 crore. That is what Banks collected in last three years just for not maintaining a 'Minimum Account Balance.' This is not from the rich. Not from big borrowers. From the poorest accounts in the system. Their crime? They didn't have enough money. A farmer misses the minimum balance - penalty. A pensioner withdraws money for med...