The ruling party, Trinamool Congress, and Opposition parties—Congress and the CPI(M)—today, took the streets with a common issue, Saradha, but with entirely different objectives.
In a bid to protest against the CBI investigations, law minister, Chandrima Bhattacharya-led Trinamool Mahila Congress, organised a sit-in demonstration outside the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office.
"A fishing and roving investigation is being done by the CBI. It's unlawful. This is politically motivated and is aimed at maligning Mamata Banerjee," Bhattacharya said. About a hundred Trinamool Mahila Congress joined the chorus with slogans against the CBI.
In a different part of the city, however, Opposition parties stepped up the pressure on TMC ahead of the bypolls this weekend. Thousands of agents and depositors associated with Saradha and other money pooling companies turned up for the rally.
The rally was addressed by CPI(M) leaders, Shyamal Chakraborty and Sujan Chakraborty, Congress leader, Sikha Mitra, who was suspended by TMC, and activist, Asim Chatterjee. Chatterjee was once on Mamata Banerjee's side and had even contested the assembly elections of 2006 with TMC support.
"Those who have looted the poor in West Bengal are sitting in Nabanna. The culprits must be arrested and punished. The culprits are all close to the TMC leadership. You (Mamata Banerjee) were once a symbol of honesty, today, you are a symbol of chit funds," Sujan Chakraborty said.
Chatterjee went a step further and said that Mamata Banerjee had become synonymous with Saradha.
The attack on TMC and its leadership came from all sides, literally. Yesterday, Asif Khan, reportedly a close aide of party general secretary, Mukul Roy, quit the party yesterday to form a new political party. The move came days after he was questioned by the CBI in connection with the Saradha scam. Khan quit the party because he believed that it was not "clean".
For the past few weeks, TMC has been feeling the heat. Senior TMC leader and former DGP, Rajat Majumdar, was arrested by the CBI on Tuesday, but within half an hour complained of chest pain. He was released from the hospital today. This was the first arrest by CBI with direct TMC link.The uneasiness among the party leadership is increasing by the day, as more and more people associated with party are being summoned by the CBI.
On Wednesday, TMC MP, Srinjoy Bose, was grilled by the CBI , for six hours. TMC leader, Samir Chakraborty, was also questioned by the CBI.
