Government should 'introspect' what led to VG Siddhartha's death: Trinamool MP

Raking up the recent death of billionaire coffee tycoon VG Siddhartha, Trinamool Congress on Thursday asked the government to "introspect" as to what led to the industrialist taking the extreme step and what needs to be done to regain the confidence of the corporate sector.

The CCD founder's body was found on Wednesday, two days after he went missing.

"The recent tragic death of a renowned entrepreneur, who set up a chain of very popular business outlet all over the country has caused shock and agony among the Indian corporate and in the minds of people in general," Sukhendu Shekhar Roy said in Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour, without taking Siddhartha's name.

Referring to the letter written by Siddhartha to the Board of Directors of his company, the Trinamool Congress leader said it appeared that he was under tremendous pressure from other stakeholders of the company as well as from a senior officer of the Income Tax department.

"I am not in to blame game but the matter is very serious," Roy said.

He said while the government has announced and taken up many measures for ease of doing business, various reports suggested that about 5000 billionaires have left the country last year itself.

"If we fail to regenerate the confidence among the industrialists and the investors, the growth rate will decrease alarmingly. The unemployment rate is increasing alarmingly," said the TMC lawmaker.

"Let the government introspect as to why a situation or environment of such sphere is looming large among the industrialists and the investors including the person about whom I mentioned, has to commit suicide," he said.

Roy said the government has to "introspect" and take adequate measures so that confidence of the industrialists and corporate are regained.

Siddhartha, whose body was found in a river two days after he went missing, was on Wednesday cremated at his estate in his home district of Chikmagalur after hundreds of people bid him a tearful adieu.

Congress' Digvijay Singh too urged the government to regain the confidence of the industrialists while talking about the state of the country's economy.

Raising concerns over the growing unemployment, Singh urged Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu to direct Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal to take measures to regain confidence of the industrialists.

"The economy is in bad shape. In 2018, around 1.10 crore workers became unemployed. Among them, 90 lakh were from villages. Five lakh cars, 30 lakh two-wheelers remained unsold. 100 car dealers have closed their shops," he said.

He also stated that many industrialists including Rahul Bajaj have also expressed their concern on the matter.

"The unemployment rate is at its highest in the last 40 years. 10 lakh workers in the auto mobile sector are going to be unemployed. I would urge the government to talk to people from the automobile sector. Regain their confidence as Sukhendu ji said. The government should also take care of the tax terrorism which is going on these days," he said.

( With inputs from ANI )