AgriGold Victims to start indefinite fast today

Vijayawada: The members of the AgriGold Customers and Agents Welfare Wssociation will begin indefinite fast at the Dharna Chowk here at 11 am on Friday demanding the state government to concede their demands. The association has been organising the relay fast for the last five days at the Dharna Chowk.  

The association’s honorary president, Muppalla Nageswara Rao, president B Viswanatha Reddy and secretary V Tirupati Rao, will participate in the indefinite fast. Several hundreds of AgriGold-affected people from across the state will attend the fasting camp to express solidarity with their leaders. More than 32 lakh victims are waiting for justice for the last four years. Except the ruling TDP, all other mainstream political parties are extending support to the AgriGold victims.

Association honorary president Muppalla Nageswara Rao on Thursday demanded that the government pay Rs 1,000 crore to the small depositors who had paid Rs 20,000 to the company.

He said the AgriGold properties are valued at several thousands of crore and the government can take the Rs 1,000 crore from the money earned through sale of properties. Stating that the Hailand property alone is valued at Rs 600 crore, he said the High Court sanctioned permission for the auction of properties.

Nageswara Rao visited the relay fast venue of the AgriGold customers and agents association at Dharna Chowk and spoke to the victims. He alleged that the government has no intention of speeding up the auction process and repay deposits to the customers. He said that more than 150 AgriGold depositors died waiting for justice.

CPI state secretary K Ramakrishna alleged that the state government had failed to resolve the problem of 32 lakh depositors and agents for the last four years. He said the association honorary president, president and secretary opted for indefinite fast because the government did not do any thing.

Association secretary V Tirupati Rao said the High Court may take a decision on December 28 on giving permission to the district committees for the auction of properties in the respective districts. He demanded that the government allocate corpus fund and repay the small depositors who lost below Rs 20,000.