They were cheated, and lost all their money.
I hope you read it with some patience. Let me know what you think. Please read the first paragraph, and then please read the background of the story. Thank you.
Yesterday, a well known film actress and political leader in Calcutta, and I actually like her guts too, even though I do not support her political party, said, “jara agency niyechhilo,, jara taka logni koechhilo tara sobai soman oporadhi,,, tahole tara atyohotya korle sympathy paabe keno?” — Which means, her question is, people who took agency of the scam fund, and those who committed suicide because they invested [and lost everything] — they are all equally guilty, and why should they get any sympathy at all?
I was very surprised and puzzled to read this statement from her. I didn’t understand the logic she made.
Background:
If I steal money, and then return it because the theft is now exposed and I have no place to hide and I need to save my rear end from going to jail, is that going to absolve me from my crime?
Bollywood star Mithun Chakraborty returned one crore rupees to Enforcement Directorate, years after the Saradha scam was exposed.
Mithun Chakraborty, a Bollywood star, now returned millions of dollars he took from a hugely scandalous small-investment scam called Saradha Chit Fund.
Here in the U.S., North American Bengali Conference (NABC) people took crores from Saradha (the Las Vegas conference was primarily sponsored by it), but they never disclosed the amount. I wrote articles about it, and they were very unhappy.
Now, if and in case they return the money, would that going to absolve them from the wrongdoing? Whether it’s Mithun Chakraborty the Bollywood star or NABC or other criminals some of whom are in jail now, crimes must have legal repercussions. And these crimes robbed millions of poor people, and some of them killed themselves too.
Bigger Picture:
Big media personalities, celebrities, and their lies. — Judith Miller forged fake WMD stories for New York Times, validating an Iraq genocide. She is now working for Fox.
Brian Williams of NBC (owned by GE) thought he flew on a combat helicopter, and reported fake news. Today, he is given a new, different appointment with NBC and MSNBC.
George Stephanopoulos forgot that he gave $75,000 to Clinton Foundation, and reported pro-Clinton stories on ABC (owned by Disney), and blasted anti-Clinton politicians.
Kathie Lee Gifford thought she didn’t know her brand-name clothes were manufactured in Wal-Mart sweatshops around the world.
In India, we have known cases involving big media personalities and their breach of ethics and law.
But they are all working, all making millions, and continuing to do their “shows” on national and international networks.
A Bollywood film star Mithun got millions from a small-investment scam that ripped off countless poor people, driving some of them to commit suicide. He is now returning the money (he said he didn’t know), and already supporters are manufacturing public sentiments in his favor.
Amitabh Bachchan long advertised for MSG-laced noodles, and got millions. He said he didn’t know what was in the product.
Amir Khan of Bollywood is a national spokesperson for Coke in India.
Then, we have John Stossel-type journalists who openly twist news in favor of pro-Monsanto, anti-environment corporations, and blast any dissent as “radical” and “communist” propaganda.
Yet, most people do not know much about them, or their criminal activities. People are made to believe either they are above the law, or their crimes are not really crimes; they are only minor professional errors.
And the rich and powerful and their celebrities and their class are actively downplaying their wrongful acts.
It is very, very difficult to deal with ignorance of the havenots. But it is even more difficult to deal with active compliance of the educated and wealthy — compliance with crimes.
Sincerely,
Partha Banerjee
Brooklyn, New York
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She validated the Iraq genocide with her WMD stories in New York Times.