BJP, TMC engaged in war of words over Saradha Ponzi scam

Kolkata: Launching a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah accused her of not acting against wrongdoers in the multi-crore Saradha Ponzi scam, saying many of them were her associates and ‘stooges', drawing a sharp retort from the Trinamool Congress (TMC).

Addressing a rally here on Sunday, BJP president Amit Shah asked Banerjee to rein in her workers and associates who were allegedly involved in corruption and scam and said, "If you can't do that then please step down. BJP will provide good governance in Bengal. The countdown has already started and the people of Bengal will show you the way out in the 2016 Assembly polls."

Reacting to this, TMC general secretary Partha Chatterjee said, "The cat is now out of the bag. It is now clear that the BJP is playing politics with CBI probe in Saradha scam."

Criticising Banerjee, the BJP president said, "You (Mamata) are not protesting against duping of 17 lakh investors in the Saradha scam and coming down on the streets, because your own associates and stooges are involved. We need an answer as to who took away the Saradha scam money.”

"We are not afraid of anyone because our workers are not involved in any scam. Whether it's Saradha or anything else, we will do the work of arresting and putting the culprits behind bars," he said.

Trinamool Parliamentary Party leader Sudip Banydopadhyay sniffed a BJP hand behind the CBI probe in the Saradha scam and said Trinamool was keeping a close watch on every move of the agency to ascertain if the ruling party at the Centre had any influence in it.

"There should not be any politics on CBI. It should be allowed to work impartially without any political pressure. The Prime Minister should ensure that the CBI is not a pawn in the hands of the party in power at the Centre," he said.

Accusing Shah of trying to foment communal passions in the state, Chatterjee said, "I know what you told your party workers in a closed door meeting. Don't play with fire. It's Bengal, not Gujarat."

Acceptance of BJP has been questioned after its dismal performance in the by-elections in different states, he said adding, "BJP is now keen on capturing power in non-BJP ruled states by hook or crook, but their dream will never be successful."

With barely two years left for the Assembly elections, the BJP chief left no one in doubt that he has already started a campaign to oust the Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal.

"More than 2,000 farmers had lost their land in Nandigram and Singur and you (Mamata) had gone on fast protesting against that injustice. But in this Saradha scam more than 17 lakh people of Bengal have lost their deposits. Why don't you feel like sitting on a fast against this scam? Why aren't you coming down on the roads for those who lost their savings?" Shah asked.

The BJP president's comment comes at a time when the CBI and the ED were tightening their grip in the Saradha scam probe.

Amit Shah rakes up issue of Bangladeshi infiltration

Shah also alleged that Bangladeshi infiltration has gone up by five times in the Trinamool regime as Banerjee was only pursuing politics rather than developing the state.

"Bangladeshi infiltration has gone up by five times in the TMC regime. If one Bangladeshi infiltrator comes here, then he takes away the job of a Bengali youth and education of a youth. But Mamata is more interested in politics than development of Bengal. She has to stop infiltration and rising crimes in the state," he said.

Shah, who was in the city to address the BJP's state committee meeting and a rally for the upcoming by-elections to Chowringhee and Basirhat South seats, said both the seats should be won by BJP to raise the voice against injustice and crime against people inside the Assembly.

Accusing the erstwhile Left regime of ‘ruining Bengal', the BJP president said the much-hyped political change was of no use as both Trinamool and the Left were ‘cousins'.