Cut in interest rates on small savings 'anti-people': TMC

Trinamool Congress today termed the Centre's decision to slash interest rates in small savings schemes as 'anti-people' and demanded its immediate withdrawal.
"On one hand, some people are shouting against chit funds and on the other, they are slashing interest rates in small savings schemes.
"This is an anti-people decision, which will put more burden on common man. We demand that this decision be immediately withdrawn," TMC secretary general Partha Chatterjee told reporters after the party's core committee meeting.
The government has lowered interest rates on small saving schemes like PPF, Kisan Vikas Patra and Sukanya Samriddhi by 0.1 per cent for the April-June quarter, a move that would prompt banks to cut their deposit rates.

The TMC, however, decided neither to launch any mass movement nor to organise any protest rally against it. During demonetisation, the party launched a massive country-wide movement against it.
Clarifying the decision of not hitting the streets this time, a senior TMC leader said, "It's summer and any mass movement will cause lots of problems for the common man."

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee chaired the party's core committee meeting and issued a series of directives for the leaders.
TMC sources said Banerjee asked party leaders at the meeting to organise more programmes in the districts and highlight the threat of communalism.

Though she did not name any organisation, it appeared that Banerjee's comment came in the wake of RSS's attempts to expand its base in West Bengal.
"Our party supremo has told us to be on high alert as divisive forces are trying to gain foothold in the state and divide it on religious lines. We have been asked to increase mass contact and propagate about the developmental works of the state government," a senior TMC leader said.
Banerjee asked party leader Nirbed Roy to prepare a booklet about the "communal politics" of BJP in the state.
Former minister and senior TMC leader Madan Mitra attended the core committee meeting after a gap of over two years. He had been in jail following his arrest by CBI for his alleged involvement in Saradha chit fund scam.

During the meeting, Banerjee said "injustice was meted out to Madan Mitra and party MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay", who were arrested in the Rose valley scam.
The decision for a few organisational changes in the districts was also taken up in the meeting.