Trinamool to raise black money issue in Parliament

We will also seek support of like-minded parties on this issue, says Derek O'Brien

Facing flak over Saradha scam, Trinamool Congress leadership today said it will raise the issue of black money on the floor of Parliament and seek support of like-minded parties on this issue.

"For us black money is a priority issue. We will raise the black money issue on the floor of Parliament. We will also seek support of like-minded parties on this issue. The BJP had promised that it would bring back black money after coming to power. It made a false promise," TMC MP and spokesperson Derek O'Brien told PTI.

Brien also questioned BJP about the expenditure it had incurred in this year's Lok Sabha election and other state Assembly elections.

"Let me ask the BJP leadership a few straight questions. Where did the BJP raise their funds to spend in the Lok Sabha elections? How much money was spent on Maharashtra and Haryana elections? Where is the party getting its massive funding to continue with the lavish spending in Jammu & Kashmir and Jharkhand? Why don't they provide transparent accounts for this unprecedented splurge?" Brien asked.

"If the nation gets to know how much black money the BJP has spent this year on elections, the party will get black-listed," Brien said, adding, "The All India Trinamool Congress is one of India's poorest political parties. Please see our EC returns."

The TMC's leadership outburst comes days after TMC MP Srinjoy Bose was arrested in connection with the Saradha scam.

Referring to Srinjoy Bose, Brien said, "The arrested gentleman is the editor and owner of a reputed newspaper in Bengal. His family is a well known business family of the state. A few years ago our party gave an opportunity to some journalists and newspaper personnel and inducted them. They made a lateral entry into Trinamool Congress."

The TMC spokesperson also alleged that the Burdwan blast was a part of a "devious" master game plan of the BJP and was "conceived, drafted and approved by RSS".