Describing fugitive liquor baron Vijay Mallya as 'smart', Union minister Jual Oram today advised scheduled castes and tribes to become smart enough to avail bank loans to become successful entrepreneurs.
Speaking at the maiden National Tribal Entrepreneurs Conclave 2018, here, the Minister for Tribal Welfare said the government would encourage tribal entrepreneurs through various schemes.
He said 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.
"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," he said.
He then went on to say, "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."