Mamata slams CBI, questions central inaction against chit funds

Continuing her tirade against the CBI which is probing the multi-crore rupee Saradha scam, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Thursday listed some of its failures while questioning the central government's inaction in curbing similar chit funds.

On a visit to the national capital, Banerjee also hit out at Bharatiya Janata Party national secretary S.N. Singh who asserted it was time for Trinamool leaders to "bhag" (run) from the CBI.

"The CBI was given the case of (Rabindranath) Tagore's Nobel theft case but they failed to crack it. It has also failed in Singur, Nandigram, Netai," said Banerjee referring to alleged incidents of violence by the then ruling Left Front.

Alleging that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was being "used for political vendetta", Banerjee charged the BJP with politicising the Saradha issue in which two of her party Rajya Sabha members - Kunal Ghosh and Srinjoy Bose - and state minister Madan Mitra have been arrested.

"Mother of a thief shouts the loudest, they (BJP) are politicising the issue," said Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, who also claimed that "real thieves" are running the country while honest people are being branded thieves.

"Chit funds come under centre's jurisdiction. What were the RBI (Reserve Bank of India) and SEBI (Security and Exchange Board of India) doing when chit funds were set up? Why have they not acted against any other chit funds," she asked.

Banerjee also wondered why the central government has not acted against a real estate firm "which looted Rs.47,000 crore".

"Why they said 'Bhaag, bhaag bhaag'? Koi nahin bhaagega... janta aap logon ko bhagayega (Why did they say 'run, run, run'...No one will run.. public will drive you out)," she said referring to Singh's repeated comments.

During a city rally Nov 30, Singh claimed it was time for Trinamool general secretary Mukul Roy and Banerjee to run from the CBI which was fast catching up the wrongdoers.

"Last year Mamata Banerjee had said: 'Is Kunal a thief, is Madan a thief, is Srinjoy a thief, is Mukul (Roy) a thief, am I a thief?' Now Kunal and Srinjoy and Madan are behind bars. While 2014 was Bhag Madan Bhag. It will be Bhag Mukul Bhag in 2015 and Bhag Mamata Bhag in 2016," Singh said at the rally.