BJP asks Bengal depositors to withdraw money from chit funds

Kolkata, April 23 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) West Bengal unit Tuesday demanded a CBI inquiry into all the chit fund groups operating in the state and urged the depositors to withdraw their money from these organisations.

"We want that all the chit fund organisations be probed by the CBI," BJP state president Rahul Sinha said here.

He said there were specific reports with his party that some of these groups have transferred money to banks in Dubai and also purchased properties there.

"The state agencies don't have the powers to reach Dubai.. that's why we are asking for CBI inquiry," he said.

He said that with a CBI probe into the matter, names of many Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leaders will come out along with those of Trinamool Congress leaders.

"Trinamool is totally dependent on these chit fund groups while CPI-M gained from them earlier," he alleged.

He urged the people to immediately withdraw all their money from these chit fund groups.

Sinha also said that if action is not taken now, West Bengal will see a major disaster.

"That is just the tip of an iceberg and a major disaster is waiting to strike the state, if proper action is not taken by the government," he said.

The BJP alleged that the CPI-M and Trinamool both share the blame for the growth of chit fund groups in the state.

"The CPI-M is blaming the Trinamool, but we want to say that CPI-M has given birth to these chit fund groups and Trinamool has nourished them. If CPM is the father, then Trinamool is the mother," Sinha added.