A political slugfest looks set to begin in UP after MS Dhoni resigned from the brand ambassador position of Amrapali Group on Friday.
The Mulayam Singh-led Samajwadi Party on Saturday called for strict action against defaulting builders in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, including the Amrapali Group, in the wake of complaints registered by home buyers.
Senior party leader Naresh Agrawal said, "Noida builders have looted home buyers and have not given possession, or have given incomplete flats to owners. Builders have even refused to meet home buyers and are refusing to return dues to the harassed residents. The state government should book such builders for dacoity. Amrapali Group is one such builder that has looted home buyers."
The Amrapali Group is one of India's leading real estate companies. On Friday, its brand ambassador and India's one-day cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni quit the post after angry home buyers trolled him on Twitter.
Last Sunday, Dhoni assured that he would take up the home buyers' concern with Amrapali, adding that "whatever is promised, I think it needs to be met."
Over 4,000 buyers of the group's Golf Homes project are the worst sufferers after the real estate giant delayed the possession by about 15 months and allegedly stalling the construction work.
"I have an ailing father at home. I have already paid about 6 Lakh rupees as interest to the bank in EMIs and am already paying rent of my home. I begged with folded hands and cried in front of Amrapali staff, but they are now neither giving me flat nor returning my money," said one buyer who booked the flat in the elite society in 2010, shortly after it was launched.
However, the Noida based real estate group's Chairman and Managing Director Dr Anil Sharma said, "Sometimes there are so many unforeseen reasons. There are so many force measures, which are beyond the control of a developer. So, during those period construction is stopped for two years, three years, four years, five years. Those period can't be contracted. There are two losses, one is time loss, another is finance loss. We are not burdening that finance loss to our esteemed customers, but time loss we can't make up. Ultimately, time loss has to be extended."
Meanwhile, JD(U) has distanced itself from Dr. Sharma, who was the party's candidate from Jahanabad (Bihar) in 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
The party's general secretary, KC Tyagi, said, "Anil Sharma for the last Lok Sabha elections was on the ticket of JD(U), but after 15 days he was an independent candidate."
Tyagi added, "As a member of the Real Estate Committee, I am on record to say that they (builders) must be prosecuted. I am with the buyers of Amrapali Golf Course and stern action must be taken against him. Home buyers must go to the court and they must present their case to the Parliamentarians. From the 25th, Parliament session will start and I am hopeful that entire Parliament, after passing the Real Estate Bill, will stand by the consumers."
Angry residents held candle light protests on Friday and are planning to intensify their agitation over the next few days.
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