Rahul questions Mamata inaction on Saradha scam

ENS, Kolkata | April 20, 2014: Rahul Gandhi used the election rally at Samsi in Malda district as a platform to launch one of his most blistering attacks on the Mamata Banerjee government.

The Congress vice-president said the incumbent Trinamool Congress regime was giving shelter to those involved in the multicrore Saradha chit fund scam and warned that if the Congress government asked central agencies like the CBI to probe, many more skeletons would tumble out of the cupboard.

Rahul’s acerbic comments come days after the Enforcement Directorate arrested the wife and son of Saradha chief Sudipta Sen.

“Has Mamataji’s government done anything against the Saradha scam stars?” Rahul asked. “Millions have lost their money, but the Bengal government is sitting quiet. Attempts have been made to save the culprits. For the past two years the SEBI has been urging investigators to take action but the Mamata government did nothing.” He targeted the Mamata government for the acute unemployment in the state and said it was not because the Centre was not granting aid to the state. “Mamataji never spoke about the Rs 1,200 crore given to the state under the MNREGA scheme. Funds worth Rs 120 crore have been lying idle.”

Rahul said the state government did not follow the national guidelines in the appointment of 45,000 primary school teachers through the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET), which was challenged in court.

He also attacked the Chief Minister on the state’s poor track record with regard to atrocities on women. Crimes against women have increased in the state, he said. “There are only big talks by the state government, but little action.”

Impressed by the huge turnout of women at his rally, Rahul said the Congress had special plans for women if they came to power. “Congress will set up at least 2,000 all women police stations, reserve 25 per cent of the police jobs for women. Apart from this, bringing the Women’s Bill for reservation of 33 per cent of women and ensuring more bank loans for women entrepreneurs are some of the initiatives announced by him.

Through the rally, Congress is trying to cash in on the huge Muslim voters in the Malda, Murshidabad and North Dinajpur belt.