Mamata accuses BJP of grand corruption, threatens to file defamation lawsuits
West Bengal CM says Modi will have to bow out of office after the 2019 parliamentary polls
In a blistering attack on the BJP, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee yesterday accused it of indulging in massive corruption in many states, and claimed the central agencies were completely silent on the saffron party’s scams.
She also threatened to slap defamation cases worth billions of rupees if the probe into the Saradha and Narada cases by the CBI and other central agencies did not proceed in a genuine way.
“In Rajasthan, there is a scam spanning thousands of crores [billions] of rupees, but where is the CBI? Are they sleeping? In Karnataka, what is the magnitude of the scams indulged in by the Reddy brothers, who are BJP’s friends?”
“In Madhya Pradesh, there is the Vyapam scam, in which several people have already been killed. Where is the CBI? The Gujarat Petroleum scam runs into Rs200 billion [Dh11.41 billion]. Where are the government agencies, like CBI, Enforcement Directorate or the Income Tax authorities?” Banerjee said at a massive public rally organised by the Trinamool Congress in the heart of the city.
The Trinamool chief said the ruling BJP at the Centre was trying to silence her party as “it was the most vocal in its protests”.
“Do we have to take character certificate from you on whether we are good, or not? We despise your character certificate. We only accept people’s character certificates,” she said.
Banerjee said across the country, the CBI is being “let loose” against anybody talking
West Bengal Chief Minister
about the ills of demonetisation or GST.
The Trinamool chief alleged that the BJP was threatening to use the CBI and frame people in the Saradha ponzi scam and Narada sting footage cases if they did not join its fold.
Without naming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said that “Barda” (elder brother) will have to bow out of office after the 2019 parliamentary polls.
At the same time, she speculated that the parliamentary polls could be pre-poned to next year.
“They could go for parliamentary polls next year. I don’t know. I was hearing something like it,” she said.
“We say, go ahead with Saradha and Narada, in 2019 Barda will have to go. The bardas will have to bow out from power in the country. It’s a challenge.”