THOUSANDS of people demanding speedy investigation and punishment of the culprits in the chit fund scam in West Bengal, mobilised and held a sit-in, in front of the CBI eastern zonal office at Salt Lake on January 12.  They seized the office for hours and demanded interrogation of the chief minister who herself is involved in the scam.

This demonstration, at the call of Left Front has been organised after a visible delay in the CBI investigation into the Saradha scam. It has been alleged that some kind of adjustment between the TMC and the BJP has led to the slackening of investigation. 

Addressing the huge gathering, CPI(M) state secretary Surjyakanta Misra  said, “The Left Front has not assembled here to request anyone or for any humble submission to the CBI. We have gathered here to launch movement against the investigation delay and oust the government of scam-perpetrators. Left Front was the first to bring to the notice of the central government even before the 2011 elections. We apprehended about what was going to happen. We had gone to submit deputation to the then prime minister Manmohan Singh at Raj Bhavan in August 2011. We appealed to the High Court to take steps against those chit fund companies. Several letters were given to the SEBI and other authorities.”

He said, after the elections when the new government came into power, the Left Front had raised the issue in assembly. People remember what happened that day. The treasury benches where ministers have their seats had organised attack on CPI(M) MLAs.

Misra questioned as to when the CBI is going to summon the chief minister. He said people must know what happened in the Dello meeting. The chief minister must face CBI notice and interrogation and if necessary she should be arrested. A change in government of the state is the only way to return money to the cheated people, he said.

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Md Salim said that Left Front would return money if they come back to power. Properties of chit fund owners and TMC leaders will be seized and money will be given back to depositors.

The only alternative to such Trinamool anarchy is to oust this tyrant government from Bengal. The government and the ruling Trinamool party are full of lumpen elements, thieves, extortionists, said Left Front Chairman Biman Basu while presiding over the sit-in agitation.

MD SALIM BARRED FROM

MEETING PEOPLE IN KALIACHAK

CPI(M) has strongly condemned the criminal activities and attempts from some quarters to give a communal colour to the incidents in Kaliachak in Malda. An unruly mob burnt buses, police vehicles and attacked local police station in Kaliachak, triggering tension in the area.

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and MP Md Salim was blocked by police from meeting people in Kaliachak. He was stopped on the way from Malda to Kaliachak on January 11. Police officials could not produce relevant documents though. As he was blocked, local people rushed to the area and an impromptu meeting was held. 

Addressing the people, Md Salim alleged that the incident in Kaliachak is the result of rampant criminal activities in the area for the last few years. These activities are patronised by the TMC. Those who are involved in illegal poppy production and fake currency have staged the whole episode. Now the RSS and a section of media are trying to portray this as a communal incident. On the other hand, the TMC and the BJP are trying to use this incident to divide people among communal lines. They are doing this throughout the state. A match fixing is all too visible between the TMC and the BJP. They are colluding with Muslim and Hindu fundamentalists to garner votes. West Bengal never witnessed such a situation in the 34 years of Left Front government.

Md Salim said that the TMC has contributed nothing for the development of the state. All round attack on democracy has crippled the normal life of the people. There is growing discontent against the TMC regime. In such a situation, they are out to divide the people. Salim appealed to the people to maintain peace and harmony despite all provocation.

Meanwhile CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury , in response to queries from media persons has castigated the general lawlessness in West Bengal, culminating into incidents like that in Malda. Yechury said, the criminals are having a field day in the state now under the patronisation of the ruling party. Instead of taking measures to arrest the culprits and providing assistance to people, the ruling party in the state is busy to gain further communal dividends out of it. BJP, on the other hand, is trying to gain by giving a communal colour to the incident for polarisation. As the elections are approaching, there are dangers of such attempts of polarisation.