Bengal BJP presents its ‘Charge-sheet’ against the Mamata government on its 2nd anniversary

By: Krishanu Mitra

The West Bengal BJP presented its ‘Chargesheet’ against the state government on its 2nd anniversary. Briefing the members of the print & electronic media over it at the party’s State Headquarters on 22/5/13 State President Sri Rahul Sinha accused the state government of failing the people’s mandate on several fronts. Sri Sinha charged the ruling TMC government of gross corruption, failing to maintain law & order, mis-governance, failing to utilize central funds on development schemes and being vindictive against opposition parties & its carders very much in line with the style of the erstwhile CPM government.

On corruption the BJP highlighted the ‘Trident’ & the ‘Chitfund’ scams. Rahul Sinha claimed that barring the BJP all other political parties of all colours and shades are privy to the loot of the Chit-fund companies and their corrupt practices. He expressed surprise at the reluctance of the state to hand over the investigations to the CBI. He also reminded all that it was the BJP and the BJP alone that has been warning the government of this impending loot being orchestrated in Bengal in the name of these chitfunds. Even last year while presenting the chargesheet on the 1st anniversary of the TMC government the BJP drew the attention of all concerned towards these Chitfund loot and even mentioning the ‘Saradha Group’ in particular.

Earlier a committee was appointed under the chairmanship of ex-State President and National Executive member Prof. Tathagata Roy to prepare this ‘Chargesheet’.

The nine point question that the BJP posed to Mamata are:

1. Using the police and the administration in a partisan manner to help the ruling party and victimize the opposition activists very much in line with the erstwhile left government.
2. In-spite of declaring its intent to announce a ‘Industrial policy’ nothing has come so far.
3. ‘Bengal Leads’ investors’ meet has been a huge failure and only ended up draining the constrained state coffers further.
4. No concrete step has been initiated for fighting unemployment.
5. Nakedly perusing minority appeasement.
6. The state government being hand-in-gloves with the ‘Chit-fund’ companies.
7. Attempting to shield the culprits of the ‘Chit-fund’ scam.
8. The fact that scamster Sudipta Sen purchased the CM’s painting (CM being a amateur painter) for 1.86 crore, proves that its an attempt to buy over the CM.
9. The CM’s claim that she knew nothing of the ‘Chit-fund’ mess before April 15 is a fallacy.

Though like a responsible opposition and in truly statesman like Sri Rahul Sinha complimented the state government for restoring peace to the maoist affected ‘Jangalmahal’ and partially solving the ‘Darjeeling’ embargo.

BJP Memorandum to Hon'ble Governor

Dated 7th May, 2013

Shri M. K. Narayanan
Hon’ble Governor of West Bengal
Raj Bhawan
Kolkata – 700 062

Respected Sir,

You must be aware of the greatest financial scandal which has rocked West Bengal and other adjacent states and where the names of prominent leaders and ministers of ruling party along with leaders & ex-Ministers of CPI (M) and a few Congress leaders have come up. The State Government has alreadily formed an Enquiry Commission headed by ex-Justice Shyamal Kumar Sen, which had started taking stock of the situation ( under the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952). As preliminary enquiry shows that the depository amount have been siphoned to other states and even to other nations, hence SIT cannot be competent enough to enquire. Hence CBI is the only competent authority to investigate this case properly. We have met Justice Shyamal Kumar Sen at his Commission on 30th April, 2013 and during discussions he also pledged his inability to investigate into such dimension. CBI has also pledged to investigate through their affidavit in Hon’ble Kolkata High Court.

Further more, State Governments of Assam, Bihar, Tripura, who are also affected through this scam has asked for CBI enquiry, then why our Hon’ble Chief Minister, who, when in the opposition bench, often have demanded for CBI, is now not interested in CBI enquiry? Is it because she wishes to hide the truth? Whatever may be the reason, we also have reservations in CBI functioning, but to solve this case and to confiscate the entire empire of Saradha and to pay the investor back from confiscation and auctioneering their properties, CBI is the only solution. Moreover, it is being said that at least Rs.35,000 crores have been invested in Saradha group by poor and lower middle class category and our Chief Minister is trying to raise Rs.150 crore from Tobacco Tax to provide them relief. Is it really a mockery?

In the Parliament 73 illegal chit fund companies were mentioned. But as many as 2,000 big or small illegal money laundering funds are presently in operation in West Bengal. It may also be mentioned that our state is industry-barren and it has a load of more than 1 crore jobless youths. It may be worthwhile to mention that millions of people of varied educational background work in those illegal money laundering funds either as agent or as staff. Hence if we close all money laundering funds without checking their system of work, then a further flood of jobless people would detoriate our law and order situation and a number of people might commit suicide, which has alreadily started. Hence a system should be generated to protect the money of poor and lower middle class people along with protection of thousands of people earning their bread and butter from these companies.

It may also be noted that the State Government is yet to file any case against Saradha or any such illegal money laundering Companies and our Chief Minister is openly saying that these companies are registered under Companies Act and hence the State Government cannot take any action unless a case is registered. We may kindly inform you that AMRI is a registered company and during the AMRI Dhakuria inferno, this Chief Minister has ordered arrests of all the directors of AMRI without any case registration. We, through you, demand immediate arrest of all the Directors and CEOs of Saradha and confiscation of all their properties. The sooner it is done, the better is the chance of recovery.

Hence, it should be worthwhile to use SEBI as a watchdog and to critically investigate the performance of each money laundering fund and to take necessary actions against the law breakers. The reason being, for example, if all the depositors of any nationalized Bank go to collect their deposit in a single day, the Bank will collapse. Similarly, if all the depositors demand their money from any such company, the company directors have no other way but to flee and the investors money will never be recovered.

So it should be the duty of the SEBI and other central Financial agencies along with the State Government to be a watchdog and allow them to work legally so that the depositors can get their money back in right time. We may, at the same time, like to brief you that the same type of monetary scandal happened between 1980 & 2003, i.e. during Left Front regime, through Sanchaita, Sanchayani, Favourite, Overland, all the cases have simply been disappeared without any arrest, without any payment to the investors.

We once again request you to immediately press this government for CBI enquiry.

Regards,
Sincerely yours,

Rahul Sinha, (State President)
Prabhakar Tewari, Dr. Subhas Sarkar, Badsha Alam (Vice Presidents)
Rabin Chatterjee, Ashim Sarkar (General Secretaries)
Ritesh Tewari, Kamal Beriwal (Secretaries)