Sonarpur (WB): Targeting Congress for demanding CBI enquiry into the Saradha chit fund scam, Mamata Banerjee cocked a snook at the UPA government today saying it would find out after the Lok Sabha election results that it was unable to do anything, despite trying. “I fight like a tiger. Let all unite against me. Let the central government and its agencies and a section of the media do that. When the ballot boxes are opened, I will show that despite trying so much you could not do anything,” Banerjee, told an election meeting here in South 24 Parganas district.
“We want a ban on chit fund companies. We have been saying this for long. This is the view of my government and also my party. And, we don't have any transactions. It has been operating since the 80's,” the Trinamool Congress chief said. “You (Centre) siphoned off a lot of money from the 2G scam and from coal scam and so many other scams,” Banerjee said. “Today, Saradha issue has been brought forward just before the election. They did the same thing before the last panchayat election,” she said.
“Why did the Government of India allow chit funds to operate and not declare them illegal? Chit funds were operating in Bengal since the 80's when the Left Front was in power,” she said.
Dismissing reports of ED questioning Trinamool Congress candidate from Balurghat, Arpita Ghosh in the scam yesterday, the Chief Minister, said “Arpita was an employee there. I do not think it is a matter.”
Referring to the arrest of Saradha Group chairman Sudipta Sen, Banerjee said that her party had taken action as soon the ponzi bubble burst and had set up a judicial commission which returned money to four lakh depositors. “Those who were involved had definitely committed wrong.”
