Whenever, in any action or proceeding to dissolve a corporation, it shall appear at any stage of the proceedings that the state is, or is likely to be, interested therein, or that it is a matter of general public interest, the court shall order that a copy of the complaint or petition be served upon the attorney general in the manner of serving a summons in a civil action; and the attorney general shall intervene in any such proceeding when in the attorney general’s opinion the public interest requires it, whether so notified or not.