Trinamool synonymous with Saradha Group: Left Front

Kolkata, April 27 (IANS) Describing the Trinamool Congress as synonymous with the tainted Saradha Group, the Left Front Saturday held West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee responsible for the ongoing chit fund muddle in the state.

"Trinamool is synonymous with Saradha Group, they are one and inseparable.The agents and officials of the company enjoyed Trinamool patronage. Party leaders from top to the panchayat and block levels induced people to invest in Saradha," Front chairman Biman Bose told media persons here.

Holding Banerjee responsible for the chit fund muddle, Bose said the Front would come out with a booklet explaining why the chief minister cannot shirk her responsibility.

The veteran Marxist also accused the Trinamool of campaigning against the Left to keep the chit fund business flourishing in the state.

"They have campaigned against Left Front asking the people who had invested to keep the Left at bay in order to safeguard their money. They relentlessly campaigned against us during the 2011 Assembly elections to keep their business flourishing," said Bose.

Banerjee, who has announced additional 10 percent tax on cigarette to fund a corpus meant for indemnifying marginal investors, also came under attack for asking people to smoke more.

"She is also the health minister. I have never heard any health minister urging people to smoke more so that she can use the money to repay the investors who were fleeced by her own people," added Bose.

With the Trinamool government preparing to pass a Bill to clamp on the chit funds in the state, Bose said the move was aimed at "dilly-dallying" so as to allow the chit fund culprits go scot-free.

Observing that the unscrupulous chit fund business was flourishing in many other states, Bose demanded an immediate Central Bureau of Investigation probe to prevent fleecing of poor investors.