BJP govt in C'garh took no action against chit fund companies: Cong

The Congress on Thursday alleged that the BJP government in Chhattisgarh, which goes to polls later this month, did not act against chit fund companies which duped investors to the tune of Rs 5,000 crore in the last nine years.

Around one crore people lost their hard-earned money in these scams, the opposition party alleged.

As many as 161 chit fund companies in the state are accused of cheating investors of a total of Rs 5,000 crore, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said at a press conference here.

He alleged that the dubious firms were shielded by the BJP government.

As many as 310 FIRs were registered against chit fund companies in the state but no action was taken in any of these cases and no victim ever got back a single rupee, Surjewala claimed.

Even the banned chit fund companies were allowed to operate in Chhattisgarh, he alleged.

Offices of some of the chit fund companies were sealed when people complained, but these firms soon resumed operations, thanks to the political patronage they enjoyed, the Congress spokesperson said.

Over 50 agents of chit fund companies allegedly committed suicide while some were killed, but the government did nothing, he alleged.

A Congress government will conduct a time-bound probe into all this, Surjewala said.

He took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his photograph in front of the gigantic monument of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, which the latter inaugurated in Gujarat's Narmada district on Wednesday.

"He was trying to prove as if he was greater than Sardar Patel. No one can replace Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel and no one can be bigger than them," Surjewala said.

"If he (Modi) wants to become as great as Sardar Patel, then (he should) quit the politics of dividing the country, quit the language of hatred and jealousy," the Congress spokesperson said.

The assembly elections in Chhattisgarh will be held in two phases on November 12 and November 20, respectively.

The counting of votes will be held on December 11.