First of all I wish to strongly object and protest against the administrators of speakindiaonline for banning me from the site. And they call themselves the only independent media (sic).
Nobody will be able to stop the voice of 20lakh panelist’s.
Once our problems are solved and we come back, we the panelists will remember who tried to stall us, and which panelists’ put our lives’ and livelihood in danger.
Being a Sunday my entire day was spent in creating and adding material for our upcoming site www.aispa.co.in, and planning for a major press conference that we intend to hold by the end of this week or latest early next week.
I ran a campaign on facebook, on various pages, supportive of speakasia, and on the page SpeakAsia Powers... , an idea germinated by Mr. Arun Khandelwal, the slogan or tagline of your Association was finalized as “Speak… Empowerment”
Before I go any further let me address one major problem many Speakasians are facing is about the Technical Problem the SAOL site is facing, allow me to put to rest your concerns.
This is purely a Technical Problem and unfortunately cannot be rectified immediately as the Administrative Rights rest with the EOW as of now. The EOW has not completed the investigation of the portal/site.
Once our COO Shri Tarak Bajpai, is released I am sure he will first stake claim on the return of the SAOL portal/site.
Besides this major issue there have been many unsubstantiated rumors doing the rounds to which I wish to once again reiterate that till the company’s own channels of communication are restored you please have faith in the updates provided by me as secretary of AISPA.
In regard to the press conference I have made a presentation to the president of the Press Club of India as below:
AISPA/outward/001 Date 28th August, 2011
Dear Sir,
Sir, I am sure you must have heard of the Speakasia controversy which is being reported in a negative and one-sided manner by the media.
Please allow me to place before you the story from the affected 20 lakhs panelists’ view point.
* February/March 2010 Speakasiaonline Pte. Ltd. (SAOL) a company registered in Singapore starts its operation in India.
* SAOL starts their operation as a survey based company, in its first or its launch phase, and its tag line was “We Value your Opinion”
* Because of the unique idea combined with aggressive field support from the company, SAOL grew at a phenomenon speed and in short time of less than a year SAOL panel size grew to a whopping 20 lakh panelists.
* The huge size of the SAOL family along with a pan India presence spread over every demographic possible made it the biggest provider of survey panels on the international panel exchanges.
* All the panelists have always been paid promptly and regularly by the company till the 12th May, 2011, after that the bank accounts were closed by the company bankers M/s United Overseas Bank, Singapore, on 27th May, 2011 probably due to the cautionary circular sent out by the RBI vide circular No. DBS.CO.PPD No.16237/11.01.005/2010-11
* SAOL has been approaching the RBI and various other appropriate agencies to seek permission for establishing their PE and for restarting the operations and restarting the payments to their panelists (us).
* An Individual not connected to SAOL filed a criminal PIL in the Mumbai high court against the Government of Maharashtra, seeking directions to the police to set up a suitable mechanism to avoid any sort of internet fraud to safeguard gullible small time investors.
* The Hon. High Court presided by her ladyship Justice Ranjana Desai was pleased to instruct the EOW to file their affidavit on the mechanism in place to safeguard the investors. She had made some observations which were prime facie observations not in any way pointing to the SAOL.
* The EOW erred in their interpretation of the Hon. Ladyship and started investigating SAOL with a vengeance. The investigation arises out of a FIR filed by one Mr. Khosla, who has been a panelist of the company and has been regularly getting paid by the company till the bank accounts were closed in May, 2011.
* Some FIRs have been filed by few aggrieved panelists all over the country. It is not the case of any complainant that they have not received payments before the bank account was unfortunately closed down.
* SAOL is on record and are committed to restart the payments as soon as the banking channels are restored.
* This sudden stoppage of operations and stoppage of payments of SAOL has adversely affected us the 20 lakh Indians who are the panelists of the company.
* All the 20 lakh Panelists had joined the business module to enhance their earnings and see a positive change in their living standards and until May 2011 have experienced the fruits of this association many of whom have experienced a total positive change in their life style.Sir, I am sure you must have heard of the Speakasia controversy which is being reported in a negative and one-sided manner by the media.
Please allow me to place before you the story from the affected 20 lakhs panelists’ view point.
* February/March 2010 Speakasiaonline Pte. Ltd. (SAOL) a company registered in Singapore starts its operation in India.
* SAOL starts their operation as a survey based company, in its first or its launch phase, and its tag line was “We Value your Opinion”
* Because of the unique idea combined with aggressive field support from the company, SAOL grew at a phenomenon speed and in short time of less than a year SAOL panel size grew to a whopping 20 lakh panelists.
* The huge size of the SAOL family along with a pan India presence spread over every demographic possible made it the biggest provider of survey panels on the international panel exchanges.
* All the panelists have always been paid promptly and regularly by the company till the 12th May, 2011, after that the bank accounts were closed by the company bankers M/s United Overseas Bank, Singapore, on 27th May, 2011 probably due to the cautionary circular sent out by the RBI vide circular No. DBS.CO.PPD No.16237/11.01.005/2010-11
* SAOL has been approaching the RBI and various other appropriate agencies to seek permission for establishing their PE and for restarting the operations and restarting the payments to their panelists (us).
* An Individual not connected to SAOL filed a criminal PIL in the Mumbai high court against the Government of Maharashtra, seeking directions to the police to set up a suitable mechanism to avoid any sort of internet fraud to safeguard gullible small time investors.
* The Hon. High Court presided by her ladyship Justice Ranjana Desai was pleased to instruct the EOW to file their affidavit on the mechanism in place to safeguard the investors. She had made some observations which were prime facie observations not in any way pointing to the SAOL.
* The EOW erred in their interpretation of the Hon. Ladyship and started investigating SAOL with a vengeance. The investigation arises out of a FIR filed by one Mr. Khosla, who has been a panelist of the company and has been regularly getting paid by the company till the bank accounts were closed in May, 2011.
* Some FIRs have been filed by few aggrieved panelists all over the country. It is not the case of any complainant that they have not received payments before the bank account was unfortunately closed down.
* SAOL is on record and are committed to restart the payments as soon as the banking channels are restored.
* This sudden stoppage of operations and stoppage of payments of SAOL has adversely affected us the 20 lakh Indians who are the panelists of the company.
* It has been almost three months since the monies have freezed up and still all the panelists (barring a few who have complained) are patiently waiting and support the company’s endeavor to get out of the problems and restart the operations.
* The present Association is formed, based and arising, out of support E mails received from all over the country.
* AISPA has filed a PIL before the Hon. High Court at Mumbai. Which is now posted for 7th September, 2011, When the Government of Maharashtra is to file its reply.
* Some of the panelists have independently moved the Supreme court and are in the process of filing a PIL before the Hon. Supreme Court asking for ad interim relief and prayed that the monies which are seized by the authorities in India be brought under the custody of the Supreme court and under its supervision be distributed amongst the panelists.
* Important to note here that between 9th May and 11th May, 2011 SAOL organized one of the biggest consumer gathering under the name and style of Gen X held in Baga, Goa.
* Gen X saw various reputed brands like, Provouge, Reebok, Gitanjali jewellery, American Tourister, Samsonite, IFB Electronics, Flying Machine, TVC skyshop, and Skoda Automobiles to name a few, display their wares for the Speakasians to purchase. A whopping over Rs. 4 to 5 crores were transacted in one day of shopping making it a record single day shopping record.
* The end of Gen X was to usher in the company’s ambitious second phase and the tag line now is “Consumer empowerment”
* The company has grown from being a survey based company and is now into as they call the 5th ‘P’ of marketing i.e. PRECISION MASS MARKETING.
* This second phase was to unleash a revolutionary phase where the company was planning to use this humongous size of its panelists and use their purchasing power to provide the panelists with international quality of products at prizes which were half of what these products are presently available at.
* We the Panelists feel that because of the unprecedented success of the company and its unveiling of its revolutionary new product based platform, has sent jitters in the trade in general and caught the envy of the company’s competitors.
* This unknown enemy of the company is presently orchestrating and unleashing a vicious and malicious negative campaign against the company.
* The Architect of the campaign against the company has unknowingly harmed the interest of 20 lakh Indians and has affected lakhs of marginal players whose kitchen fires were being run on the earnings they received from SAOL.
* The stoppage of the legitimate operations of SAOL has in fact violated the basic fundamental right of each individual “The right to livelihood”
Sir, In light of the above submissions I on behalf of the Association request you to provide us an opportunity to meet your good selves where we can show you the relevant documents etc.
Sir, I request your good selves to grant us an early appointment.
Thank You,
Yours truly,
Ashok Bahirwani
Secretary
AISPA
“End of letter”
This week starting tomorrow is a crucial week for SAOL and out futures and as and when things happen I will dutifully report to you.
Please do not ask me what is going to happen in this week, because, I am abstained by legal counsel. This is in the best interest of us and our company SAOL.
But be assured that strong steps are being taken by high ranking legal counsel.
Pray that this week we get good news. SAOL has not cheated us upto today it is the government agencies which are refusing to hear SAOL. But for how long? In the final analysis Law will prevail. “satya meva jayete”
Like I always say have faith in SAOL, Have Patience.
Proud to be a speakasian
Jai Speakasia
Ashok Bahirwani
AISPA
