 "Mamata asks what SEBI was doing; attacks Chidambaram")
With Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi targeting her government for inaction on the Saradha ponzi scam, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today questioned what SEBI was doing and also targeted Union Finance Minister P Chidamabaram.
"These money making companies had surfaced and thrived during the Left Front regime. What was SEBI doing then?" Banerjee asked at an election rally here.
"Now there are clamours for a CBI probe. You can ask the CBI to investigate. Is this because I keep on protesting every time?" she said.
Targeting Chidambaram, she said that he had ruined the country.
"The Congress finance minister has ruined the country. Tell him not to conspire. He is not fighting the polls this time for fear of losing," she said.
"With elections coming, it is being said that TMC should be caught. If I am found guilty, then arrest me and send me to jail," Banerjee said.
Reiterating her criticism of a media house in the state without naming it, she said, "What cheek do they have to talk when their newspapers and programmes were supported by advertisements of these companies."
Banerjee also claimed that her government's efforts to take action against these companies were also negated by the Centre.
"In the last three years, we passed a Bill in the Assembly to rein in these companies. But the Bill was returned twice by the Centre. What do they have to say now?" Banerjee asked.
The Congress, she claimed, was destined to be voted out of power.
"These money making companies had surfaced and thrived during the Left Front regime. What was SEBI doing then?" Banerjee asked at an election rally here.
"Now there are clamours for a CBI probe. You can ask the CBI to investigate. Is this because I keep on protesting every time?" she said.
Also Read
"The Trinamool government stands for transparency, accountability, and integrity. For that reason, we had arrested one person (Saradha Group chairman Sudipta Sen) and also sent one one of our MPs (Kunal Ghosh) to jail after arresting him," she said, referring to the action taken by her government after the ponzi bubble burst.
Targeting Chidambaram, she said that he had ruined the country.
"The Congress finance minister has ruined the country. Tell him not to conspire. He is not fighting the polls this time for fear of losing," she said.
"With elections coming, it is being said that TMC should be caught. If I am found guilty, then arrest me and send me to jail," Banerjee said.
Reiterating her criticism of a media house in the state without naming it, she said, "What cheek do they have to talk when their newspapers and programmes were supported by advertisements of these companies."
Banerjee also claimed that her government's efforts to take action against these companies were also negated by the Centre.
"In the last three years, we passed a Bill in the Assembly to rein in these companies. But the Bill was returned twice by the Centre. What do they have to say now?" Banerjee asked.
The Congress, she claimed, was destined to be voted out of power.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
SAVE 25%
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Subscribe
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
SAVE 25%