New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) Pulling no punches in her attack
against BJP for allegedly pursuing "political vendetta"
against TMC, West Bengal Chief Minister today charged that CBI
was being used as a "political tool" by the NDA government and
was functioning as "a department of the PMO".
"We are the only party fighting a battle against BJP, who
are trying to bulldoze TMC. That (arrest of WB transport
minister Madan Mitra) is political vendetta. BJP... are
jealous of us (but) democracy cannot be bulldozed or imposed.
"The attitude which is displayed (by BJP) is dictatorial.
TMC will not bow down before anyone, except the people of the
country. This is a political fight and it will fight (it)
politically and democratically. You cannot stop our voice,"
Banerjee told reporters outside Parliament.
Banerjee maintained that her party had no role to play in
the Saradha chit fund scam since it had not taken place under
her government.
She said there are many cases pending with CBI in which
there has not been any outcome.
"It (CBI) is not an autonomous body, but a department of
the PMO. If the CBI is important, then it should act in public
interest. Rabindranath Tagore, who won the first Nobel prize
in India... his Nobel medal was stolen, even that has not been
found. Has CBI closed the case?
"In the Gyaneshwari accident case (of 2010), around 200
people were killed. As the (then) railway minister, I had
initiated a CBI inquiry, but nothing happened. In Singur, the
Rizwanur Rehman case, in Nandigram, in Netai... nothing has
happened? So is the CBI a tool of the government?
"If you ask me the role of CBI, (it is) A-political
vendetta, B-political-vendetta, C-political vendetta," she
said.
As she sought to defend Mitra, who was recently arrested
by CBI in connection with the Saradha scam, Banerjee said TMC
is the only party that has no role to play in any scam.
"If you talk of about our MP (Kunal Ghosh) who was
arrested, we gave nominations to three-four journalists as
there was no representation from the media. They were not
related to our party. TMC has no connection with any scam.
Those who talk about scams should see that charity begins at
home (sic).
"Saradha (scam) did not take place during our government.
From 2001-2006, it happened during the Left Front government.
And not only in Bengal, but in Kerala, Tripura, Assam, Odisha.
Chit fund is not illegal, but in the name of chit fund,
cheating people is an illegal thing," she said.
The West Bengal Chief Minister said that her government
had formed a judicial commission after the Saradha scam and
disbursed over Rs 250 crore to those who had lost their money
in the Ponzi scheme.
"But those who act with transparency are called robbers
and those who steal become the leaders of the country," she
charged as she cited a Bengali saying that "the thief's mother
makes the loudest accusations".
"Those who cheated are very much happy with BJP now and
those were cheated are being arrested. The haves are getting
justice and the have nots, who raised their voice, are being
arrested," Banerjee said, adding that she would not run away
and the "people of Bengal will drive them (BJP) away".
She said the chit funds come under the jurisdiction of the
Centre and under the purview of company affairs, SEBI and the
Reserve Bank of India. There is no law for state governments
to look into their affairs.
"We raised this issue. We passed a law in (West Bengal)
Assembly that our state has not been empowered to seize the
property in such cases and return the money to the government.
"We sent the law to the government (for Presidential
assent). Two months have passed, they have said more
amendments are needed and sent it back. We again passed it in
the Assembly and sent it to the Governor. But there has been
no response," Banerjee said.
Banerjee is in Delhi to meet the President following the
recent surgery on him.
Asked whether she would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
Banerjee said she had "no appointment" with him.
"I am here to meet the Honourable President who is
unwell," she said.
Asked about any meetings lined up with leaders of other
political parties, she said, "I will be happy to meet others.
I don't think any political party is untouchable."
Banerjee also made a jibe at the government in the context
of the row over reports that schools were asked to stay open
on Christmas to mark 'Good Governance Day'.
"They want kids to celebrate e-governance, first you (the
government) undertake e-governance and then ask kids. They are
already very smart," she said. PTI PR KKM 12181545
Banerjee asked what the CBI and SEBI were doing when the
Saradha scam was taking place.
"What was the RBI and SEBI doing? We have given our full
support to amendments in the SEBI Bill. We should not have
extended our support. Not only Saradha, but other chit funds,
why there is no action?
"We have heard that in PACL, there is a scam of Rs 49,000
crore. If Saradha has Rs 2,000 crore irregularity, then this
has Rs 49,000 crore (irregularity). We have a document in
which we asked that when there was enough evidence with the
CBI to act on this, why didn't they make arrests?
"The response from them was that they are cooperating in
the investigation," the West Bengal Chief Minister said.
She said her government had also constituted a judicial
commission and on the basis of its recommedation, we have also
distributed the money to the affected people.
"We made a judicial commission. As per the recommendations
of the commission, individuals have been returned their money.
"The CBI is investigating the (Saradha) scam, then why is
it not returning the money. ED, SIT, CBI...no one has returned
the money to the people.
"We want to give money and for that we made a law. We are
the only government who returned the money to 500 individuals.
They (the BJP) are very jealous of Bengal government," she
said.
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