)
Amid heated allegations and counter allegations between the Trinamool Congress and the opposition over the Saradha scam, hundreds of affected investors and agents today resorted to sit-in protests on the railway tracks demanding justice.
With the Saradha scam resurfacing as a key political issue in the state during this ongoing Lok Sabha election, duped investors and agents under the aegis of Saradha Sufferers' Unity Forum protested near the Garia station in the southern part of the city.
With the police failing to curb the hour-long protest, local TMC leaders and workers engaged in a scuffle with the protesters. Many of the protesters were allegedly beaten up by TMC workers. Bivas Mukhopadhay, a local TMC councilor allegedly led the party supporters in manhandling the protesters. Mukhopadhay, who was present at the site as is evident from the television footage, however, has denied all allegations.
“TMC attacked the protesters. This shows they have something to hide in the Saradha scam. So far, the victims were denied justice, now they are not even allowed to protest,” senior CPI-M leader Sujon Chakrabarty said.
BJP too raked up today's incident to attack TMC. “Mamata Banerjee is now scared of the fact that the truth coming to light in the Saradha case.This attack on the protesters is an act of desperation,” BJP leader Tathagata Roy said.
Recently, the Enforcement Directorate(ED) stepped up its efforts to unearth the scam. More and more people connected to the TMC are being summoned.
TMC candidate from Balurghat constituency and theatre personality Arpita Ghosh, who was associated with the Saradha media group, has been quizzed by the ED twice. State transport minister Madan Mitra is under scanner as well.
Supreme court, which had earlier during the hearing pulled up the state government for not looking into the “larger conspiracy” angle in its investigation, is soon likely to decide on ordering a CBI enquiry into the scam.
