TMC MP's arrest a political vendetta by PM Modi, alleges Congress

The Congress Party on Tuesday termed the arrest of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sudip Bandopadhyay as a political vendetta launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government against his political opponents.

"Modi government and Narendra Modi have unleashed revenge and vendetta against its political opponents. Every day we see the manner and fashion in which agencies like the CBI, ED and other investigating agencies are pushed, subjected to pressure by none less than the Prime Minister and his office to unleash vendetta against political opponents and against anyone who raises a voice," Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told ANI.

Assuming the Prime Minister to be vindictive, especially after the joint press conference held by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi against demonetisation, Surjewala said Prime Minister Modi has unleashed new form of vendetta.

"From the day Mamata Banerjee held a joint press conference with Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders, a new wave of vendetta has been unleashed by Modi ji," he said.

Alleging the Prime Minister of taking no action against his own ministers, Surjewala questioned as to why Babul Supriyo, whose name surfaced in the chit fund scam was not arrested.

"Only the other day when TMC MP Tapas Paul was arrested, he clearly named Babul Supriyo, the Union Minister for his role in chit fund scam. Did Modi ji arrest Babul Supriyo? Did CBI even call him for questioning? Such nature has always been repelled by this country as also by the very fundamentals of our democracy," he said.

Sudip Bandhopadhyay was on Tuesday arrested by the Central Bureau Investigation (CBI) in connection with Rose Valley chit-fund scam.

The TMC MP was arrested hours after he appeared before the CBI for interrogation in connection with this scam.

"I have come to clarify my position on whatever questions they have," Bandyopadhyay told ANI prior to entering the CBI office.

The CBI had earlier on December 30 arrested TMC MP Tapas Paul for his alleged involvement in this scam.