Union Minister Jual Oram said today, “I should not have taken Vijay Mallya’s name, it was my mistake.” (File photo)
A day after describing fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya as ‘smart’, Union Minister Jual Oram on Saturday said it was a mistake and he should have taken someone else’s name instead, ANI reported. “I accidentally took Vijay Mallya’s name. I should have taken someone else’s name. I should not have taken his name, it was my mistake,” ANI quoted Oram as saying.
Oram was advising scheduled castes and tribes to become smart enough to avail bank loans to become successful entrepreneurs. “Though people belonging to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes get reservation in education, jobs and politics, the disadvantage is that they are not “treated” on par with others in terms of knowledge and talent,” Oram said while speaking at the maiden National Tribal Entrepreneurs Conclave 2018 in Hyderabad on Friday.
“We should become entrepreneurs, we should become intelligent. We should become smart. We should gain information. Information is power. Those who possess information, they control power. You people criticise Vijay Mallya. But what is Vijay Mallya? He is smart. He employed some intelligent people. He did something here and there with bankers, politicians, government,” PTI quoted Oram as saying.
“He bought them. Who prevented you (from being smart)? Who asked Adivasis not to influence the system? Who prevented you from influencing bankers,” the minister asked.
Mallya, who fled to the UK in March 2016, is currently undergoing an extradition trial in a UK court over fraud and money laundering charges by Indian authorities.
Saying that some of the SC and ST people shy away from disclosing their title or surname fearing disparity in society, Oram advised them not to do so and told them that these communities would also thrive running businesses.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi wishes that SC and STs should no longer remain as job-seekers. But they should become job givers. We should fulfil his wish. I as a minister (am) determined on that,” he said.
(With PTI inputs)