VIJAYAWADA: Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan on Thurdsay said it was the responsibility of the State government to save the victims of AgriGold scam and also to ensure none of them ends life for fear of not getting back deposits.
Dressed in a sky blue kurta and white trousers, the actor-cum-politician met AgriGold customers and agents and listened to their grievances.
Later, addressing them, he felt the government should have acted much earlier when, not just one but several cheques issued by the company, had bounced. “When those in the government, present and past, support organisations like AgriGold by participating in several of their programmes, people naturally believe the companies might be credible. They start investing in such companies and bring in even their relatives in the hope that at the end of the day, they can save and earn a little more, to help their children, and for their old age. But problem starts when the companies turn out to be suitcase companies. Iit is up to the government, which in the first place gave people a false hope, to protect them and their interests,” he said.
Pointing at lakhs of customers and agents, most of them poor, Pawan demanded that the government takeover 20,000 acres of AgriGold, whose market value is far greater than what the company is due to the depositors, liquidate them and repay the dues starting with poor customers.
“It was done in the Sahara case. The Supreme Court has ensured that Sahara chief Subrata Roy is in jail and saw to it that the company's assets are liquidated to clear the dues. In the case of the Saradha scam, the Mamata Banerjee government ensured that primary needs of the victims were taken care of. The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh might be keen on helping AgriGold victims, but it is not materialising,” he said.
In a veiled reference to minister P Pulla Rao, he cautioned politicians against taking advantage of the situation and cornering the company's assets for a song. "Government officials as well as politicians are facing allegations of possible involvement in the scam. An impartial investigation is a must. The government should come out with a white paper on the assets of AgriGold and explain its future course of action,” he demanded.
The Jana Sena chief further said he was aware of the problems concerning AgriGold, which was started in 1995. “Left parties, for whom I have a high regard, have explained the situation and their struggle. Now, Jana Sena too will take up the cause,” he promised. Referring to the threats being received by the agents, whom he described as innocent, he urged the government to provide them security.
He opined that the issue could have been effectively dealt with, if only the bureaucracy was allowed to function sans political pressure and felt “it was unfortunate that MLAs and MPs clash with officials over certain issues, which in turn weakens the bureaucracy” - it was a clear reference to the recent behaviour of TDP leaders with the transport commissioner in Vijayawada.