Headless agency has now become spineless BJP: Mamata Banerjee on CBI

Describing the CBI as one of the “allies” of the BJP-led Central Government, Bangla Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Friday alleged that the Centre was using the agency to harass the opposition parties across the country.

She called the CBI, which was yet to get a new director, “headless” and said it has now become a “spineless BJP”.

“So political vendetta continues. BJP & its ‘allies’ comprising multiple govt agencies harassing all allies of Oppn from Kol to Delhi & beyond,” Ms Banerjee tweeted.

She also doubted whether the BJP was “scared” and using the agencies in a “desperate” move.

“From Akhilesh Yadav to Behen Mayawati Ji, nobody is spared. From north to south. From east to west. Political vendetta by BJP. Are they scared? Are they desperate? One headless agency has now become spineless BJP,” she added.

 

Saugata Roy speaks on the recent attempts by ruling party at Centre to destabilise Opposition

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Thank you Sir, I shall be brief. The ruling party at the Centre had earlier acquired majority in Goa and Manipur through dubious means. The Central Government is using the power of the Government and money power to destabilise the Opposition parties and Opposition Governments.

In Bihar, the Deputy Chief Minister was raided by the CBI which led to the Chief Minister’s resignation and formation of the Government with the central ruling party as its partner.

In Gujarat, six Congress MLAs resigned from the party on the eve of Rajya Sabha elections from the state. There are complaints of money power being used. The Election Commission has asked the Chief Secretary of Gujarat to probe the matter.

In UP, two SP and one BSP MLC resigned from the Legislative Council to pave the way for the Chief Minister’s election. The misuse of power and money by the ruling party bodes badly for democracy and needs to be registered by all right thinking democratic people.

In Bengal they have been unsuccessful and six members of the Opposition (non-BJP parties: TMC and Congress) have been elected to Rajya Sabha.

Thank you sir.

 

Opposition engaging in political pollution: Mamata Banerjee

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said that a political vendetta campaign had been taken up against the Trinamool Congress by the BJP government at the Centre. “What they (the Centre) are doing is political pollution. It is political vendetta. They are scaring people with the CBI,” the Chief Minister added.

She advised business leaders to form groups and protest against any political vendetta by the Centre. “Do not be scared of the CBI so much. You pay your taxes. So why are you scared so much? You should make groups and protest against such threats,” she said.

She assured that she would be always with the businessmen. “I am always with you. But you should work for the betterment of society. Companies need to do welfare work under their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme,” the Chief Minister said.

Speaking on development, she referred to the Metro rail construction works in the city. “I can remember that I received criticism while allocating money for those Metro rail projects. Now the work is underway.  After completion of the project, these tracks will solve the transport problems in the city,” she observed.

The Chief Minister invited the industrialists to invest in manufacturing sector. She also informed that Bengal has achieved 6 per cent growth in infrastructure development. “We have Rs 40,000 crore debt on us. But the state government has been able to provide rice for Rs 2 per kg, we treat people free of cost in government-run hospitals, we have set up 307 paediatrics units in hospitals, you can find ICCU, mother and child care hub. You can find a milk bank at SSKM hospital,” the Chief Minister noted.

“Recently, we introduced laws on clinical establishments as well as a law against ransacking of property. Everybody should remember that there are two laws. Both the parties have to be cautious about their approach,” she concluded.

 

বিরোধীরা কুৎসা করছে, যা ‘সলিউশন’ নয়, ‘পলিটিক্যাল পলিউশন’: মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়

ভয় না পেয়ে একজোট হোন। শিল্পপতিদের এই আহ্বান জানালেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়। তিনি বলেন, কিছু বললেই সিবিআই, আয়কর চলে আসবে। আমার সঙ্গে কথা বললেও আপনাদের বিপদ হতে পারে। প্রয়োজনে রাস্তায় নামুন। শিল্পোদ্যোগীদের বিভিন্ন সংগঠন রয়েছে। একজন আক্রান্ত হলে অন্যরা পাশে দাঁড়াবেন না কেন? একজন আঘাত পেলে ৫০ জন পাশে দাঁড়ান। প্রয়োজনে রাস্তায় নামুন। মহিলাদের উদ্দেশ্যে তিনি বলেন, শুধু লেডিজ স্টাডি গ্রুপ করলে হবে না। পথে নামতে হবে। বাড়ির মহিলাদের আন্দোলনের পথে নামান। আপনাদের চিন্তা কীসের? আপনারা তো নিয়ম মেনে কাজ করেন। রাজ্য সরকার যা সাহায্য করার তা তো করবেই।

শুক্রবার বেহালা চৌরাস্তার কাছে এস এল ধানুকা গার্লস হস্টেলের উদ্বোধন করেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা ব্যা নার্জি। তিনি বলেন, নির্বাচিত সরকারকে ১০টা বাধা পেরিয়ে কাজ করতে হচ্ছে। কখনও সবুজ, কখনও হলুদ বেঞ্চ, কখনও রায়, আবার কখনও সংস্থা, এটা, সেটার বাধা আসছে। এদিন নাম না করে কেন্ত্রীয় সরকারকে আক্রমণ করেন। তিনি শিল্পপতিদের বলেন, নোটবন্দীর ফলে ৩ মাস দুঃসময় গেছে। মানুষকে ঘা, গুঁতো খেতে হয়েছে। শিল্পের ক্ষতি হয়েছে। আপনারাও তা জানেন। তবে কিছু বললেই সিবিআই, আয়কর বিভাগ চলে আসবে। প্রতিবাদ করায় তৃণমূলের বিরুদ্ধে সিবিআই, আয়কর বিভাগ নেমে পড়েছে। দলের একাংশকে জেলে পাঠালে আর এক অংশ তৈরি বলে জানান তিনি। বলেন, ভয় পাই না। কেউ একটা কিছু ভাঙলে এক লক্ষ গড়ি। যে কাজ ভাল না, তা সকলের বর্জন করা উচিত। সরকার কোনও নীতি গ্রহণ করতেই পারে। তবে সবার সঙ্গে কথা বলে, বুঝিয়ে।

রাজ্যের স্বাস্থ্য পরিষেবা আরও ভাল করতে আইন আনার কাজ করেছি। তাদের কাজে নাক গলাতে চাইনি। মঞ্চ থেকে ঘোষণা করা হয় ধানুকা ধানসেরি গোষ্ঠী মহিলাদের জন্য নিউ টাউনে তাদের তৃতীয় হস্টেল তৈরি করবে। উদ্বোধনী অনুষ্ঠানে উপস্থিত ছিলেন মুখ্যমন্ত্রী মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়, পরিবেশমন্ত্রী, কলকাতার মহানাগরিক শোভন চ্যাটার্জি, শিল্পোদ্যোগী সি কে ধানুকা, ভারতী ধানুকা।

বিজেপির তোলা বিভাজনের রাজনীতির অভিযোগের বিরুদ্ধে মুখ্যমন্ত্রী বলেন, ৪০ লক্ষ ছাত্রী ‘কন্যাশ্রী’ প্রকল্পের আওতায়। ৩৫ লক্ষ ছাত্রছাত্রী সাইকেল পেয়েছে । রাজ্যের ৮ কোটি মানুষ ২ টাকা কেজি চাল পান। কোনও তারতম্য নেই। রাজ্য সরকারের প্রকল্পের সুবিধা সবাই পায়। অনেকে মিথ্যে বলেন, কুৎসা করেন। এটা কোনও ‘সলিউশন’ নয়, ‘পলিটিক্যাল পলিউশন’।

তিনি বলেন, সরকারের কাজে দল হস্তক্ষেপ করে না। এ জন্য গর্বিত । তিনি জানান, রাজ্যে বিনিয়োগের জন্য পোল্যান্ড, জার্মানি , চীন, রাশিয়া আগ্রহ দেখিয়েছে। উৎপাদন শিল্প যাতে আরও বাড়ে দেখতে হবে। আস্তে আস্তে আরও শিল্প হোক। শুধু কংক্রিটের শিল্পই শিল্প নয়। একটার জায়গায় ২০টি শিল্প হোক। তিনি জানান, রেলমন্ত্রী থাকার সময় যে প্রকল্প ঘোষণা করে ছিলেন তা শেষ হবেই। বছর দুয়েকের মধ্যে মেট্রো প্রকল্পের কাজ শেষ হয়ে যাবে।

 

Kalyan Banerjee speaks on the issue of threat to Trinamool leaders by BJP functionaries

FULL TRANSCRIPT

Madam, yesterday in a public meeting the BJP leaders, including the observer of BJP in West Bengal, had said all leaders of Trinamool Congress will be arrested by CBI and will land up in Bhubaneshwar jail. He also said that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will be arrested. How can BJP and Narendra Modi misuse the CBI for political vendetta? We are protesting strongly. We protest against the misuse of CBI for political vendetta. Jo humse takrayega, chur chur ho jayega.

 

 

 

 

 

Modi Hatao Desh Bachao: Trinamool launches countrywide protests

The country-wide protests of Trinamool Congress against the political vendetta of the Centre and the arbitrary decision of the Narendra Modi Government to demonetise high-value bank notes started today, with party MLAs and senior leaders demonstrating outside the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and the CGO Complex in Salt Lake. The protests would continue for the next three days.

Mamata Banerjee has been carrying out her fight against demonetisation that has claimed more than 110 lives and that has has led to a huge loss for the entire country.

The demonstrations started from 9 am and will continue till 6 pm on all the three days at both the RBI and the CGO complex.

At the same time, protest marches would also take place in other States.

 

 

আজ থেকে দেশজুড়ে তিনদিনব্যাপী প্রতিবাদ কর্মসূচি তৃণমূলের

রাজনৈতিক প্রতিহিংসার বিরুদ্ধে এবং কেন্দ্রীয় সরকারের নোট বাতিলের বিরুদ্ধে দেশ জুড়ে তৃণমূলের প্রতিবাদ অব্যাহত। আজ থেকে আন্দোলনের রূপরেখা নিয়ে আরও একবার পপ্তহে নামছে তৃণমূল। আজ থেকে শুরু হয়ে তিনদিন ব্যাপী চলবে এই প্রতিবাদ কর্মসূচি।

নোট বাতিলের বিরুদ্ধে মমতা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায়ের লড়াই চলবে। নোট বাতিলের ফলে ১১১ জনেরও বেশি নিরীহ মানুষ প্রাণ হারিয়েছেন। আজ একদিকে কলকাতার রিজার্ভ ব্যাঙ্কের অফিসের সামনে ধরনা ও বিক্ষোভ কর্মসূচি করবে বিধায়ক ও মন্ত্রীরা।অন্যদিকে সল্টলেকের সিজিও কমপ্লেক্সে সিবিআইয়ের দফতরের সামনে প্রতিবাদে সামিল হবেন দলের অন্য নেতারা।

রিজার্ভ ব্যাঙ্ক ও সিজিও কমপ্লেক্সে এই কর্মসূচি শুরু হবে সকাল ৯ টায় এবং চলবে সন্ধ্যে ৬ টা পর্যন্ত।

একইসঙ্গে ভিন রাজ্যেও চলবে প্রতিবাদ সভা।

 

 

After RS yesterday, TMC raises the issue of CBI raid at Delhi CMO in LS

After Rajya Sabha yesterday, Trinamool Congress led the charge in Lok Sabha against the Centre over CBI raids at the Delhi Chief Minister’s office.

Leader of the party in Lok Sabha, Sudip Bandyopadhyay criticised the CBI in strongest terms, calling the incident a blot on federal structure of the country.

“In a federal structure in a democracy how can the office of a Chief Minister be raided by the CBI?” he asked. In a democracy, the Chief Minister of the States are also elected by the people. It pains me that CBI raided the CMO, Sudip Bandyopadhyay said while adding that the CBI had become GBI (Gujarat Bureau of Investigation).

“The files the CBI searched, it is said, belonged to the DDCA. Let there be a Joint Parliamentary Committee to investigate this,” Sudip Banerjee added.

 

Twitter alliance:

As the Leader of Trinamool in Lok Sabha, Sudip Bandyopadhyay was speaking, The Chief Minister of Delhi was following his speech on Twitter. Mr Arvind Kejriwal also retweeted several tweets of Sudip Bandyopadhyay’s speech.

 

Kejriwal Tweet

Screenshot of Arvind Kejriwal’s Timeline

Click here for the full transcript of Sudip Bandyopadhyay’s speech

Trinamool condemns CBI raid at Delhi CM’s office

National Spokesperson of the party and Leader of the party in Rajya Sabha, Derek O’Brien today called the CBI raid at Delhi Chief Minister’s unprecedented and demanded clarification from the Central government.

“Has Emergency been declared?” he asked in a statement posted on the party’s Twitter channel.

Trinamool also gave a notice in Rajya Sabha under Rule 267 to suspend usual business and immediately take up discussion on the CBI raid at Delhi CM’s office.

“This is an issue about the country and the federal structure. This is beyond a party issue. The office of a democratically elected CM has been raided by CBI,” Derek said in Rajya Sabha.

“CBI reports directly to the Prime Minister. Files in Chief Minister’s office have been gone through. he BJP is trying to kill the States. They are destroying federalism,” he added while maintaining that the party was not trying to defend any corrupt official.

Trinamool MPs also raised the slogan “Bachao bachao federalism” in Rajya Sabha.

Tweet by Derek O’Brien:

Tweet by Mamata Banerjee:

No one can dictate to people what to wear or eat: Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress Chairperson Ms Mamata Banerjee today expressed her concern over the rising incidents of intolerance in the country. She demanded to know from the party in power at the Centre how they can dictate to people what they can wear or eat.

Speaking of brotherhood and communal harmony at an event in Shahid Minar, WB CM said, “The Preamble of the Constitution states India is a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic. The Constitution champions the ideals of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity, unity and integrity of the nation.”

Condemning all forms of terrorism, she said that terrorists have no religion and it would be wrong to brand certain communities as terrorists.

Slamming her detractors who were questioning why she was attending this event, she said that questions are not raised when attends functions of Ramakrishna Mission or Bharat Sevasram Sangha.

“I visit church on Christmas and also functions of Bharat Sevasram Sangha. I attend Guru Nanak’s birthday celebrations. Why cannot I attend a Muslim event?,” she remarked.

 

Highlighting the work done by her government for the development of minorities, WB CM said:

  • I had made a commitment of giving second language status to Urdu. We did that.
  • We have introduced reservation for minorities under the ambit of law without touching the general caste by increasing infrastructure.
  • Left Front gave scholarships to 4 lakh students in their last 4 yrs. We have given scholarships to 83 lakh students, highest in India.
  • The budget allotment for minority development during Left Front rule was Rs 400 Cr. We increased it to Rs 2400 Cr.
  • 115 hostels have been set up for students. A new campus of Aliah University is coming up.
  • 132 Karma Tirtha marketing hubs are coming up where our youth can set up shops.
  • We are giving cycles to over 40 lakh students irrespective of caste, creed, gender or religion.

 

She also slammed the Centre for the rising intolerance in the country. “On one hand they celebrate Constitution Day and on the other they profile people based on religion. This is unacceptable,” she said.

“Aamir Khan has said what he felt as an Indian. Who are you to tell him to leave the country? It belongs to everyone,” she added.

Mamata Banerjee said the Centre may unleash the CBI against her for attacking them, but her fight will continue as she does not fear death.

Centre running parallel govt through governors: Mamata Banerjee

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday accused the Centre of running a parallel government in states through governors, and creating a communal charged atmosphere.

At a chief ministers’ conclave on cooperative federalism organised by the Delhi government, she said, “They are using the governor to run a parallel government and scuttle the work of elected chief ministers. I can understand that law and order in Delhi is under the home ministry, but how can the West Bengal Governor write to the Centre seeking central forces for municipal elections there?”

“People from the BJP are threatening us with arrest, saying the Election Commission is under them. The Prime Minister should look into this. One cannot bulldoze states in the name of governance,” she added.

“They (Centre) are making things communal, looking at the religion of people killed in accidents to vitiate the atmosphere. If two people die in West Bengal, the NIA is rushed to the state, but when 100 people died in Madhya Pradesh not a word is said because it has a BJP government. This is not good governance,” Mamata Banerjee said.

She advised the Centre to restrict itself to making policies and administering sectors such as defence and railways and “nothing else”. She also slammed the Centre for disbanding the Planning Commission, which she said was the brain child of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.

“The government is running without any planning. They have also disbanded the National Development Council where the CMs used to get a common platform. You have formed NITI Aayog and made your own man its chairman…it’s not about our ideological differences but we are having issues in functioning,” she said.

CBI finds no Saradha link in TMC’s accounts | The Times of India

This article was published in The Times of India on 24 August, 2015

After a six-month probe into Trinamool Congress’s sources of funds, the CBI has not found any suspicious transactions in the party’s accounts, especially from the Saradha group of companies.

“We have analyzed the income tax returns and other documents related to TMC but there is no unexplained or suspicious transaction in the accounts from Saradha companies, as suspected earlier,” a top CBI official said.

Probing TMC’s funds, which included purchase of one of Mamata’s paintings by Saradha group chief Sudipta Sen for Rs 1.80 crore, was part of CBI’s FIR which focused on the wider conspiracy in the Saradha chit fund scam. It was being suspected that Saradha group gave several crores to TMC between 2010 and 2014, which were not legitimate transactions.

The agency had examined TMC general secretary Subrata Baxi seeking details of party’s accounts earlier this year.

TMC had attacked CBI several times, saying it was working on the directions of the Centre.

Arrest of several leaders by the CBI in the multi-crore Saradha scam had put the party on the back foot. The CBI has arrested and charge-sheeted senior TMC leaders including Madan Mitra, former Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Ghosh and Srinjoy Bose in the Rs 2,500 crore ponzi scam.

Congress leader and former minister of state for home in the Narsihma Rao government Matang Sinh was also arrested and named in a charge-sheet earlier this month for allegedly siphoning off Rs 28 crore from the ponzi schemes run by Saradha chairman Sudipta Sen.

Meanwhile, the agency on Sunday lodged five more FIRs against different chit fund companies operating in Assam for cheating several thousand investors. The companies named in the fresh FIRs include Rose Valley, Silicon MultiServices Ltd, Uro Agro India Ltd, Uro Infra Reality India Ltd and Prayag Hi-Rise Infotech Ltd, CBI spokesperson Kanchan Prasad said.