Trinamool targets BJP in Parliament

TMC alleged that a diary of jailed Sahara chief Subrata Roy contained name of a senior leader of BJP leading to clashes and a walkout

Facing heat over the Saradha scam, Trinamool Congress today targeted BJP in Parliament by alleging that a diary of jailed Sahara group chief Subrata Roy contained the name of a senior leader of the saffron party, leading to clashes and a walkout.

A day after BJP President Amit Shah's rally in Kolkata attacking Mamata Banerjee government, Trinamool Congress sought to corner the ruling party in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha by displaying a red diary.

The Trinamool members alleged that the diary was recovered from Roy and claimed that it contained name of a BJP leader. In the Lok Sabha, Trinamool Congress members rushed to the Well shouting slogans. They demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should explain what action CBI has taken after the name allegedly figured in the diary.

They later staged a walkout. TMC leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay had given a notice for suspension of Question Hour to discuss the issue which was rejected by Speaker Sumitra Mahajan. Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said rules do not permit any member naming anyone who is not a member of the House.

They also cannot display placards, he said. To this, the Speaker said the name of the BJP leader would not go on record. Later, BJP member Kirit Somaiya hit back, alleging that the West Bengal government of Trinamool Congress was creating "hurdles" in the CBI investigation into the Saradha chit fund scam, in which names of "one dozen" Trinamool leaders have cropped up.

This led to protests by Trinamool members but Somaiya went on saying that 3.5 lakh small investors had been cheated in the chit fund scheme. "The state government is not cooperating with the CBI probe," he alleged. Amid noisy scenes, the Speaker adjourned the House for lunch, ahead of schedule. In the Rajya Sabha, Derek O'Brien (TMC) sought to raise the issue during Zero Hour and Question Hour but was disallowed. He had earlier given a notice for suspension of Question Hour but was not allowed. As O'Brien rose to raise the issue during Question Hour, BJP members shouted him down by raising the issue of Saradha chit fund scam. Trinamool members later staged a walkout as they were disallowed from raising the issue.