Trinamool women protest outside CBI office, opposition attacks move

The women's wing of West Bengal's ruling Trinamool Congress Thursday began a sit-in demonstration outside the CBI office here to protest against the "misuse" of the agency to settle political scores in its probe of the multi-crore-rupee Saradha chit fund scam.

An angry opposition said it was an attempt to "pressurise" the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has arrested Trinamool leader Rajat Masjumdar and interrogated several other leaders including MPs.

In the presence of state minister and Mahila Trinamool Congress state president Chandrima Bhattacharya, the protestors - numbering around 100 - gathered outside the agency's office in the satellite township of Salt Lake and raised slogans accusing the Narendra Modi-led central government of using the CBI as a "pawn" to defame the Trinamool and its supremo Mamata Banerjee.

"CBI is indulging in various activities to change the proper course of the Saradha scam probe. CBI is working as per the dictates of the BJP. It is being used to protect the interests of the Modi government," Bhattacharya said.

Banerjee, also the state chief minister, has come under attack from the opposition parties who have questioned her silence on the scandal which has sucked in a number of Trinamool leaders, including several ministers.

She has also been facing embarrassing questions over allegations of holding a meeting with purported scam mastermind Sudipta Sen in 2012. The opposition parties have also alleged that Sen purchased a painting done by Banerjee for an exorbitant price.

Opposition parties Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party flayed the ruling party.

"West Bengal tops in the number of crimes against women. But one never saw the Mahila Trinamool Congress members protest against incidents like rapes. Today they are holding the demonstration to protect thieves," said CPI-M central committee member Shyamal Chakraborty.

Calling the demonstration a pressure tactic, Congress leader Arunava Ghosh said "the CBI probe has been ordered by the Supreme Court. So this demonstration amounts to showing disrespect to the apex court. The presence of the minister in the demonstration, despite she having taken an oath to protect the constitution, could lead the state to president's rule".

BJP national secretary and central observer for the state S.N. Singh said:"The Trinamool is afraid of more skeletons tumbling out from the cupboard."