Mamata blames Congress, CPI(M) for Saradha group scam

Says chit funds flourished under the Left’s rule, while the Centre should have regulated these firms Hit hard by allegations of links between senior leaders of her party and those responsible for the Saradha group scam, beleaguered Trinamool Congress chairperson and the West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, took the attack to the Congress and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) here on Thursday, accusing them of failing in their responsibility. “Central government, you cannot deny your responsibility. and the CPI (M) government [the previous Left Front governments in the State], you are the reason this problem has been created,” Ms. Banerjee said. Addressing her first public rally since the scam came to light, Ms. Banerjee took the names of senior CPI (M) leaders, including the former Chief Minister, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. For days, photographs of senior Trinamool Congress leaders attending various programmes hosted by the Saradha group have been telecast on local television channels. At the rally, Ms. Banerjee waved photographs of CPI (M) leaders at similar events, asking the crowds “and whose photograph is this?” She also brought out bundles of editions of Ganashakti , the CPI (M)’s mouthpiece, pointing out that it carried the Saradha group’s advertisements. Taking on the Congress, which is demanding that investigations into the scam be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Ms. Banerjee said “those who are suddenly asking for a CBI probe” must remember that the Centre should have regulated these “chit funds.” “Who regulates these chit funds? The SEBI and the RBI are both organisations of the Central government.” Reiterating the problems that her government faced because of the State’s debt burden, Ms. Banerjee alleged that when the RBI “unilaterally” deducted payments for interests on loans, “it acts like a boss,” but when such illegal companies proliferated all across West Bengal it allowed “the landslide” to take place. She accused the CPI (M) and the Congress of spreading canards, and said she did not speak of the issue earlier as she was taking care of matters by passing a legislation that would “protect” people from such fraudulent enterprises, and ensuring the arrest of senior Saradha officials. “If anyone in my party is involved in a wrongdoing, we will investigate the matter and take action against them,” Ms Banerjee said, citing the example of Trinamool leader Arabul Islam, who was “imprisoned for 42 days.” However, for the actions of the odd rotten apple, she reasoned, the entire party cannot be thought of as tainted.“Please trust us. I can never commit an injustice,” the Chief Minister pleaded. Says chit funds flourished under the Left’s rule, while the Centre should have regulated these firms