The CPI(M) today attacked Mamata Banerjee over her reported comments that "individuals can be thieves, but not party" in the wake of Madan Mitra's arrest in the Saradha scam, and alleged the TMC chief's "indirect" admission betrays her nervousness at the prospects of further revelations against her party and the state government.
"After Mitra, her minister till recently, was sent to jail after his bail was cancelled and the CBI stepped up investigations, Banerjee had said -- individuals can be thieves, but not a party."
"This indirect admission betrays nervousness at the prospects of further revelations against her party and government," ex-CPI (M) general secretary Prakash Karat said in an editorial of forthcoming issue of party mouthpiece 'People's Democracy'.
Karat also accused TMC Government in West Bengal of repressing jathas (parades) organised by Left organisations against "misrule and terror tactics" of the Banerjee dispensation.
Karat said the Bengal Platform of Mass Organisations (BPMO) covered over 60,000 booths by around 18,000 jathas which, he claimed, saw participation by 16 lakh people during November 14 and November 30.
The communist leader said the jathas were attacked by TMC men in districts like West Midnapore, Burdwan, Murshidabad, Hooghly, Howrah and others. Notwithstanding the attacks, the jathas went ahead rallying supporters and connecting with people, he claimed.
"Why has the TMC under Banerjee adopted such a repressive approach? The main purpose of these goonda attacks was to try and prevent Left mass organisations from forging links with people. The ruling party was also alarmed at the response these jathas were receiving from the people," he added.
Former Transport Minister in West Bengal Government Mitra, an accused in Saradha chief fund scam, had surrendered before a court after his bail was cancelled by Calcutta High Court on November 20.
The TMC leader was earlier arrested on December 12, 2014.
According to media reports, speaking at a public gathering in Howrah earlier this week, state Chief Minister Banerjee had stated that "individuals can be thieves, but not a party".
