Agri Gold victims seek Lokesh’s help in resolving their problems

Members of the Agri Gold Customers & Agents Welfare Association convened with Nara Lokesh, the national general secretary of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and former minister, led by their chairman Muppalla Nageswara Rao.
The meeting occurred on Saturday at Lokesh’s residence in Undavalli, Guntur district. The primary agenda was to seek Lokesh’s assistance in addressing the challenges faced by Agri Gold customers and agents.
Muppalla Nageswara Rao, also serving as the CPI State Assistant Secretary, alongside deputy general secretary BV Chandrasekhar, Guntur district secretary K Augustine, and NTR district secretary Veerabhdram, elaborated on the longstanding issues confronted by customers and agents over the past eight years. They highlighted instances of suicides among agents and customers who succumbed to the mounting pressures from depositors.
During the dialogue, Muppalla Nageswara Rao delineated the gravity of the issue and detailed how their association orchestrated protests to prevent further tragedies in the state. Expressing dismay over what they perceived as governmental inaction despite Agri Gold Company’s substantial assets valued in the thousands of crores, they appealed to the TDP to shoulder the responsibility of resolving the crisis.
Moreover, Muppalla Nageswara Rao apprised Lokesh that the company had pledged to disburse Rs. 3,080 crore to 10 lakh depositors, emphasizing the incumbent YSRCP government’s failure to honor its commitments over the past five years. He lamented the fact that families of victims had not received the promised Rs. 10 lakh ex gratia payment, noting that tragic incidents of suicide persist at an alarming rate of four or five per month in the state.
In response, Lokesh pledged to gather comprehensive information regarding the Agri Gold scandal and the grievances of the affected parties. He sought details about the company’s assets and the outstanding deposit amounts. Encouraging a stance of resilience, Lokesh urged customers and agents not to succumb to despair but to face their challenges bravely.
Assuring the association representatives of the TDP’s earnest commitment to address the issue, Lokesh affirmed that the party would prioritize resolving the matter upon assuming power. He committed to conducting a thorough examination of the situation and pledged to reconvene with the association leaders for further deliberation and action.