New bill against chitfunds a ploy: CPI(M)

CPI(M) today alleged that the new bill against chitfunds was a ploy by Mamata Banerjee government to buy time to bail out the Saradha Group, acharge rejected by the ruling Trinamool Congress.
"The present government wants to bail out the company and therefore instead of getting the President's nod for the 2009 bill passed during the Left regime, they are going ahead with a new bill which will be a time-consuming process," CPI(M) state secretary Biman Bose told reporters.
Bose that the bill would meet the same fate as the Singur bill.
Asked whether the LF would support the bill, he said, "It is not a question of our supporting or opposing. The Left Front Legislature party will meet and take a decision."

Alleging that the Trinamool Congress was hand in glove with the Saradha Group, he said "the chief minister cannot shirk her responsibilitys."
Countering Bose, Industry minister Partha Chatterjee accused the Left Front government of allowing chitfunds to thrive even after it came to its notice as early as 2003.

Defending the new bill to protect investors, he said, "Who are they to allege that this government is trying to cause delay? What have they done since 2003?"
He said that the state government had set up enquiry commission into the chitfund scam in 48 hours and arrested the main accused in 72 hours.

He alleged that two television channels with Left leanings were funded by chitfunds.
Chatterjee said it was the CPI(M) which feared immediate polls and had gone to court.
"We are ready to face any election be it panchayat or Lok Sabha any time," he said.
Asked about MP Kunal Ghosh, Chatterjee said he had no information about any letter written by him to the chief minister.