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Blacklist BJP for using black money: O'Brien
Trinamool Congress, facing flak from opposition over the alleged involvement of some of its leaders in the Saradha chit fund scam.
- Jaitley disappointed as Mamata Banerjee slams BJP
- More TMC leaders linked to Saradha scam: Yechury
- BJP demands sealing of TMC's bank account details
Kolkata: Trinamool Congress, facing flak from opposition over the alleged involvement of some of its leaders in the Saradha chit fund scam, on Sunday hit back at Union Minister Arun Jaitley for critical comments about the party and its chief Mamata Banerjee.
"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 blackmoney after coming to power. It made a false promise," TMC MP and spokesperson Derek O'Brien told PTI.
"If nation knows how much black money is spent by BJP, they will become a blacklisted party," he added.
"Where is BJP getting its massive funding to continue the lavish spending in elections? Why don't they provide transparent accounts," asked TMC MP Derek O'Brien.
The former quiz master's comments were in response to the scathing criticism from Jaitley. The Finance Minister had earlier in the day written a blog wherein he said that he was very disappointed with Mamata's response to the alleged involvement of her party leaders in the ponzy scam.
"NSA (Ajit Doval) is a RSS sympathiser" and the Burdwan blast in Bengal was "part of a devious BJP master game plan" and was "conceived, drafted and approved by RSS headquaters".
On Monday, the Chief Minister plans to hit the streets in Kolkata in protest - the second Chief Minister since Arvind Kejriwal to do so in recent times.
Slamming Mamata’s remarks in response to BJP's allegations of her party's involvement in multi-crore Saradha chit-fund scam, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said that he is deeply disappointed by her statement.
“Didi's reaction to the interrogation and arrest of some of TMC leaders in Saradha scam has disappointed me. Some individuals associated with the TMC have been involved in making easy money from Ponzi schemes which have looted small investors,” ANI quoted Jaitley as saying.
"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. "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".
CPI(M) politburo member Sitaram Yechury said more Trinamool Congress leaders would be found involved in the Saradha scam as the CBI investigation into it progresses.
"We have been saying about the involvement of TMC leadership in the scam from the very beginning. Now two of their MPs are in CBI custody. As the investigation will progress, many more TMC leaders will be found guilty," Yechury said.
TMC Rajya Sabha MP Srinjoy Bose was arrested by the CBI on November 21, while another Rajya Sabha MP Kunal Ghosh, who was suspended by TMC, was arrested by the state police in November last year. Demanding that the bank account of Trinamool Congress be sealed following the arrest of two party MPs in Saradha scam, BJP said Mamata Banerjee's "intolerance" and "arrogance" would be the reason for the party's "downfall" in the next Assembly polls.
"If the bank account of East Bengal and Mohun Bagan clubs are sealed after the arrest of an East Bengal official in Saradha scam, why not the bank account of Trinamool Congress be sealed?,” BJP's Bengal unit president Rahul Sinha said.
