By Abdul Gani, TwoCircles.net,
Guwahati: Even as thousands of victims of Saradha Chit fund in eastern India are crying and raging in anger for the loss, here is a boy who even does not how to react at the moment. The dream of 22 year old Deepak Chakraborty of a backward place of Guwahati in Assam has been shattered.
The youth who is visually challenged from birth started to deposit the sum of money which was given by his elder brothers for his daily expanses since October 2011 with a dream to make it a big one day.
Visually challenged youth Deepak Chakraborty with his mother Protima Chakraborty in his neighbourhood Credit: Abdul Gani]
But, hardly had he known that very soon his dreams would be devastated. “I cannot work of my own. We are very poor family and my elder brothers used to give me a little bit of money from there mere income. So, I thought if I could make it big by depositing the sum I would be able to help my brothers and also I could have started my own business,” a shattered Deepak told TwoCircles.net at his residence at Barsapara area in Guwahati.
Though the amount of Rs 5, 250 seems of be meagre but for Deepak it meant a lot. “Along with the money my dreams too shattered. Now, who will help me? Even my brothers are also not financially that sound to give me,” he added.
On January 31 this year his amount got matured but the agent through whom he deposited the money postponed the date number of times. And this was just another incident for the ill-fated family as they had to shift their home from Basugaon in Kokrajhar area some 20 years back as their land and properties were invaded by some locals.
“It was our destiny. We had houses and properties but the local people forcefully captured our properties as we were the minority in the Bodoland Territorial Area Districts. And since then we have been living here in Guwahati in rented accommodation. We do not have the money to buy our own land,” said mother Protima Chakrabory. On top of that, she lost her husband Paresh Chakraborty in 2002 due to some illness.
Thus, their lives have been a tough ride over the decade. But Deepak, the youngest of the five siblings, in spite of the set back now nurtures a dream of setting up a business establishment of his own in future along with his mother. “My mother is my world and I hope God will be kind enough on me so that one day I will start my own business with the help of my mother,” said an optimistic Deepak.
Employees and depositors of Saradha Group staged a protest demanding the return of the money in Guwahati on Monday [Credit: Dasarath Deka]
This incident has also been like an eye opener for the people of the locality as well. “We were totally unaware of such activity earlier. But from now onwards, we will not commit such mistakes anymore,” said Seema Roy, the agent through whom Deepak had deposited the sum. However, a few well wishers have come forward to help this visually challenged youth.
According to official records here, altogether 222 cases have been registered against 128 chit fund companies in Assam. Besides, 303 persons have been arrested so far. Nearly Rs 94 lakh in cash has been seized and an amount of Rs 24 crore frozen.