Agrigold customers, agents to stage protest on Oct 28

The Agrigold Customers and Agents Welfare Association is planning to organise a largescale protest, termed ‘Maha Vignapana Deeksha,’ at Dharna Chowk in Vijayawada on October 28. The protest aims to urge the State government to address the long-standing grievances of Agrigold victims. Muppalla Nageswara Rao, the honorary president, and BV Chandrasekhar, deputy general secretary of the association, announced this during a press conference at Dasari Bhavan in Vijayawada on Monday. They highlighted that Agrigold customers and agents have been seeking justice for over a decade, with thousands of families suffering due to the company’s fraudulent activities. The previous YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government made a payment of Rs. 906 crore to some victims, but ultimately failed to provide comprehensive relief, which they believe contributed to their loss in the elections. Nageswara Rao and Chandrasekhar also recalled that YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had promised compensation of Rs. 10 lakh to the families of deceased victims and Rs. 20,000 to depositors within six months of taking office. However, they lamented that these promises were not fulfilled, leaving the victims’ grievances unaddressed. The association reminded that the coalition government had pledged in its election manifesto to resolve the issue by selling Agrigold’s assets. Recently, the association submitted a petition to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, stressing the need for a resolution to the Agrigold issue. Acknowledging the current financial challenges faced by the State, they refrained from demanding immediate funds. Instead, they emphasised the importance of safeguarding Agrigold’s assets, expediting the court case, and offering support to the most vulnerable victims. Additionally, they requested the recovery of Rs. 500 crore that was allegedly collected under the name of ‘Agriparivar’ and urged for a quick resolution of the ongoing case in the Eluru court. The association leaders criticised the ongoing sale of Agrigold’s assets, including benami properties, and urged the government to secure these assets through legal attachment and maintain them under the State’s control. They suggested that converting the vast real estate land into smaller plots for auction could potentially generate double the funds, benefiting both the government and the affected victims. They also requested the formation of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) with competent officials to travel across the State, collecting grievances from victims directly, to ensure a more effective resolution.