KOLKATA: Launching a blistering attack on the BJP, West Bengal chief minister on Sunday spoke out first time and made her stance clear supporting TMC strongman Anubrata Mondal, who was arrested by the CBI in connection with an alleged cattle scam case.
“What has Keshto (Mondal) done? What evidence you have against him? I asked him to go Rajya Sabha, but he declined saying he would love to work for the party’s organisation. Why he has been arrested? The central agency went on a rampage at Keshto’s house,’’ said Mamata while addressing a rally in south Kolkata’s Behala.
The Bengal CM, however, continued to maintain distance on the issue of arrest of former minister Partha Chatterjee by the Enforcement Directorate. ‘’I will not speak on anything which is a subjudice matter,’’ she said. Opposing Mondal’s arrest and supporting him by Mamata is said to be significant aiming at the upcoming panchayat elections in the state slated to be held next year. When Chatterjee, who was also the party’s secretary general, was arrested, Mamata said law would take its own course and the party would take stern action if he is found guilty in the court.
“Chatterjee already expelled from Bengal cabinet and suspended from the party. The party is yet to announce any action against Mondal. Instead, Mamata’s speech on Sunday made it clear that the party is with Mondal. It is because, he is the man who secured party’s sweeping victory in all previous elections in Birbhum district. Had the chief minister washed off her hands after Mondal’s arrest, it would have sent a wrong message to other strongmen like Mondal of our party in districts who conduct polls in ground-level,’’ said a senior TMC leader.
Lambasting the BJP, Mamata accused the saffron camp of derailing elected governments in other states by using its money power. Referring to the recovery of cash Rs 49 lakh from a vehicle in which three Congress MLAs from Jharkhand was travelling, Mamata said, ‘’I have caught your act red-handed. Three Congress MLAs from Jharkhand were caught with bundles of cash recently in Kolkata and the BJP paid Rs 10 crore each of the opposition MLAs to topple the government in Jharkhand. But don’t try this trick in Bengal. Remember, Royal Bengal Tiger lives here,’’ she said.
The CBI is likely to question TMC strongman Anubrata Mondal’s daughter Sukanya in connection with her father’s proceeds of alleged cattle smuggling. Sources in the central agency said they would question Mondal’s daughter Sukanya at her Bolpur residence. The name of Mondal’s daughter emerged as part of the probing into alleged cattle scam and the agency suspected money was parked in Sukanya’s bank accounts.