Published: November 24, 2014 18:28 IST | Updated: November 24, 2014 18:31 IST
Mamata dares Centre to arrest her
Ms Banerjee addresses a rally in Kolkata on Monday. Photo: Sushanta Patronobish
She put the blame on the Centre for the chit fund scam and said that her government has returned money to 5 lakh investors in the State.
West Bengal Chief Minister and All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) chairperson Mamata Banerjee threw a challenge to Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the threat of staging an agitation in New Delhi.
“You may take people with you to the United States, to London, to Australia, and have selfies taken there; now if I go to Delhi are you ready to face the consequences,” Ms Banerjee asked at a rally in Kolkata on Monday.
Lashing out at the ongoing probe by the CBI on Saradha scam Ms Banerjee dared the Centre to arrest.
“I am standing right here. Come and arrest us. How many can you arrest? Build as many prisons as you can,” the Chief Minister who hit the streets for the first time since the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls said.
Her comments are significant in the wake the recent arrest of AITC Rajya Sabha MP Srinjoy Bose for his alleged involvement in the scam. Ms Banerjee had on Saturday accused the Centre on indulging in political vendetta by using the CBI as a tool.
At the workers conference on November 22, Ms Banerjee had linked Mr Basu's arrest with her visit to New Delhi to attend the 125th birth anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru on invitation from Congress president Sonia Gandhi. However, on Monday, she ruled out possibilities of any immediate alliance with the Congress.
“I went there only because Sonia Gandhi invited me and not to do any politics,” she clarified, stating that Trinamool will continue alone in Bengal.
Coming down heavily on the Centre’s economic policies West Bengal Chief Minister said that within just six months of coming to power, the BJP led government has been “selling the country”.
“By selling of everything does he hope get a Nobel Prize,” Ms Banerjee said in an obvious reference to the Prime Minister.
She put the blame on the Centre for the chit fund scam and said that her government has returned money to 5 lakh investors in the State.
“We are urging the Centre to make laws so that money can be returned. Two Bills from the State have been returned by the Centre,” she said.
The Chief Minister also raised questions about why border with Bangladesh are not being fenced and said that she also wants that cross border smuggling should end. Ms Banerjee added that it was the West Bengal police that arrested the main accused in Burdwan blast.
- K.S.SubramanianShe knew too well that Shah Rukh and company will come to her rescueabout an hour ago · (0) · (0) · reply (0) ·Points1210
Rajagopaln Nadimuthu at PWD
Why Mamtajii is talking like this ?The CBI enquiry is being monitored by the SC .How Modi is responsible for this happening ?Tying up Modi with everything wiabout an hour ago · (0) · (0) · reply (0) ·Points1235- VidaIf there is any involvement by Mamata in the Saradha scam then yes she should be arrested. Instead of being vitriolic against the Centre, she needs to clean up WB with all the scams, nepotism, vote-bank politics and Jihadi groups that have infiltrated WB.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/mamata-dares-centre-to-arrest-her/article6630239.ece
http://www.business-standard.com/article/politics/mamata-marches-against-centre-in-kolkata-asks-who-s-funding-modi-s-foreign-trips-114112400739_1.html
Modi govt hits back, says Mamata Banerjee helping Saradha scam accused -
![CM Mamata Banerjee expressed her anger at Dum Dum airport regarding the cancellation of an Air India flight by which she was supposed to go to Delhi. (Source: Reuters photo)]()
http://indianexpress.com/article/india/india-others/modi-govt-hits-back-says-mamata-banerjee-helping-saradha-scam-accused/
http://www.business-standard.com/article/politics/mamata-marches-against-centre-in-kolkata-asks-who-s-funding-modi-s-foreign-trips-114112400739_1.html
Modi govt hits back, says Mamata Banerjee helping Saradha scam accused -
Venkaiah Naidu insisted that the government has no role in the ongoing investigation into the Saradha chit fund scam. (Source: Reuters photo)
PTI | New Delhi | Posted: November 24, 2014 8:22 pm
Rejecting her allegation that the Centre was pursuing a “selective vendetta” against TMC, Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Monday said that by making such claims, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was “helping” those who are involved in criminal cases.
“I always respect Banerjee. She is a fighter. She has brought a big change in Bengal by ending the CPI(M) rule. We have worked together. By making such allegations against the government of India, she is helping the accused. She should instead purge such people,” he told reporters here.
Naidu insisted that the government has no role in the ongoing investigation into the Saradha chit fund scam, which is being handled by CBI, and the NIA-led probe into the Burdwan blast.
The remarks come on the heels of Banerjee’s blistering attack on the BJP-led NDA government which, she alleged, was misusing the CBI. Regarding the blast case, she has said Bangladeshis are our neighbours and “brothers” and that terrorists have no religion.
“We work for the people. No conspiracy can thwart us. Whole party (Trinamool Congress) is being blamed for the fault of one or two outsiders,” she had said in Kolkata, adding that she will take her fight to Delhi.
Meanwhile, at a Congress briefing, party spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi steered clear of the issue, saying his party does not react on matters which are sub-judice. “As far as sub-judice matters are concerned, Saradha and
“As far as sub-judice matters are concerned, Saradha and other issues, as a political party we have nothing to say,” he said, adding that there was a perception within TMC that it was being targeted.
“If found to be true, it is liable to be deprecated and we will speak out against it,” Singhvi said. Another Congress leader said the party was keenly watching the developments in Bengal amid apprehensions. Banerjee has alleged that she was being victimised because she had last week attended an international conference on Jawaharlal Nehru organised by Congress in the national capital.
Banerjee has accused the NDA government of carrying out a “selective vendetta” against herself and TMC and dared the Centre to arrest her and impose President’s rule in Bengal.
Her outburst followed the arrest of TMC MP Srinjay Bose in connection with the Saradha scam.
No conspiracy can stop us: Mamata Banerjee
Monday, 24 November 2014 04:00 PM
Kolkata: Launching a fresh attack on BJP, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said that no conspiracy could stop her from going ahead in carrying out development work in the state.
"There is conspiracy going on against us. Let them (BJP). I will show them (BJP) that no amount of conspiracy can thwart us from carrying on development work in the state," she said at a function in Bongaon in North 24-Parganas district indicating her ire at the ongoing CBI investigation into the Saradha ponzi scheme scam.
"By conspiring they (BJP) cannot emerge successful as we work for the people," Banerjee said.
Dwelling upon the various works by Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal, Banerjee said the state was the first in introducing fair price shops for medicines where discount up 78 per cent was offered.
The system of paying beds have been done away with in government hospitals and those had been converted into free beds and thousands of new beds have come up, she said.
"Even our Kanyashri scheme is the first in the country," the Chief Minister said.
The Kanyashri programme was launched by the Mamata Banerjee government in October 2013 to help prevent girls from being married off at a young age by encouraging education.
On last Saturday, Banerjee had launched a blistering attack against the Modi government, accusing it of "selective vendetta" against her and the party and dared the Centre to impose President's rule and arrest her.
http://www.abplive.in/india/2014/11/24/article444207.ece/No-conspiracy-can-stop-us--Mamata-Banerjee#.VHNJltKUeSo