BJP ridicules Mamata's Singapore visit to attract investments

Saffron Party claims industry is bleeding in the state, has no infra

Expressing concern over the industrial scenario in West Bengal, the BJP Saturday ridiculed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's maiden upcoming visit to Singapore in her bid to attract investment.

The Banerjee-led delegation will leave for Singapore Sunday on a six-day visit where the chief minister is scheduled to meet Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Foreign Minister K. Shanmugam.

"She may be claiming Bengal leads, but the fact is industry here is bleeding. With no infrastructure and criminals running amok, I wonder who will come to invest here," Bharatiya Janata Party national secretary S. N. Singh said.

Singh also wondered if the Trinamool Congress chief's visit to the island country had something to do with the ongoing CBI probe into the multi-crore rupee Saradha chit fund scam.

"She has only one or two meetings, but will be spending five-six days there. I wonder if it has something to do with the CBI knocking at doors of the Trinamool government in the Saradha scam," said Singh.

Singh, the party co-observer for the state, dismissed suggestions that Bengal not finding any representation in BJP president Amit Shah's new team will have any adverse effects.

"(Prime Minister) Narendra Modi doesn't want representation from states to be the hallmark. Rather he believes in one India one nation. So we have followed his vision and chosen people who will work for the entire country and not a state alone."

Bengal earlier had representation in the core team in Darjeeling MP S. S. Ahluwalia, who was a vice president.

Singh also refused to read much into the dropping of Varun Gandhi as the party general secretary.

"There are many responsibilities for a party member to shoulder and the party will assign him a suitable responsibility," added Singh.