Mamata, BJP in fresh war of words over Saradha scam

The war of words over CBI action in Saradha scam escalated today with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee threatening to take her fight against BJP to Delhi and the Centre saying her allegations against it were helping the accused in the case.
As the Trinamool Congress chief went on the offensive and took to the streets in Kolkata, Banerjee also received flak from suspended party MP Kunal Ghosh who alleged that she was the "biggest beneficiary" in the ponzi scheme scam and called her a "coward".
"We have tolerated enough and are forced to take to streets. Lies are being spread about us. But Bengal's soil is so strong that if a sapling is sowed here, the tree will grow in Delhi," Banerjee said at the end of a rally in Kolkata to protest against CBI's alleged harassment of people in connection with the Saradha scam.

TMC Rajya Sabha MP Srinjay Bose was arrested by the CBI in the Saradha case on Friday in the latest arrest.
"I generally don't hold meetings blocking roads, but we had to do this one and if necessary, we will do it again and will do it in Delhi also," Banerjee said standing on a makeshift stage at Esplanade in the heart of the city.
"I don't know what you have done with others, but if you do anything wrong with Bengal, there won't be a bigger protesting voice than Bengal. You will be retaliated politically and democratically", she said.

"Who has bitten them? Royal Bengal Tiger has not gone yet, it has not been released yet, then who has bitten them," she said in a sarcastic note.

Earlier, speaking at a programme at Bongaon in North 24-Paragana district, she alleged, "There is a conspiracy going on against us. Let them do it. I will show them that no amount of conspiracy can thwart us from carrying out development work in the state".
"By hatching conspiracy they cannot emerge successful as we work for the people," Banerjee said.
Hitting back at Banerjee for her attack on the Centre, Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu said the Chief Minister is "helping" those who are involved in criminal cases being probed by central agencies.

"I always respect Mamata Banerjee. She is a fighter. She has brought a big change in West Bengal by ending the CPI(M) rule. We have worked together. By making such allegations against the Government of India, she is helping accussed. She should instead purge such people," he said in Delhi.
BJP's West Bengal unit president Rahul Sinha claimed that Banerjee was trying to scuttle the CBI probe into the Saradha scam by repeatedly attacking the central agency.
"Mamata Banerjee is continuously attacking the CBI which is probing the Saradha scam. The CBI investigation has been ordered by the Supreme Court. This is a direct challenge to the court," he said in Kolkata.

Ghosh while targeting the chief minister said, "Mamata Banerjee is the biggest beneficiary. She is holding party workers' meetings to save herself," Ghosh alleged.
Speaking outside Bankshall Court in Kolkata after being brought from Presidency Correctional Home, he said, "She is a coward. She should be made to sit in front of me and questioned".