The arrest and subsequent sacking of Partha Chatterjee — former minister in the Mamata Banerjee government — after his name surfaced in the SSC scam is too little and too late, BJP MP and former Bengal chief Dilip Ghosh told News18.com in an interview. Hitting out at the chief minister, Ghosh said the Opposition’s attempts at cobbling up a united front with Banerjee as their face had crumbled post the massive recovery of cash and gold from Chatterjee’s aides and she was no alternative to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, let alone be a match.
Did it take Mamata Banerjee seven days to understand that the party does not tolerate acts of corruption and to remove Partha Chatterjee from TMC as well as ministerial posts, he asked. The figure (cash and jewellery recovered) has crossed Rs 200 crore.
Before this, she stood with many of those accused of corruption. Her MPs remained in prison but they were never thrown out of the party, he added.
“This time, she knew she would lose more. She has washed her hands off Chatterjee because her own party is witnessing a revolt, with the society and nation watching how corrupt her people are. Shareer bachaane ke liye haath toh kaatna hi padega, toh kaat diya (To save the body, the infected hand needs to be severed). Despite all this, Mamata Banerjee did not sign on the removal of Chatterjee; it was the chief secretary who signed it. We know that party ke andar vidroh hua hai (There was protest within the party)”.
Ghosh said the CBI would visit the state repeatedly to question TMC leaders but could do nothing. I think there was some sort of setting with some officials who were hand-in-glove with the government. Even courts were managed; judges recused themselves from hearing the case. There were no documents, no verdicts. Such is the fear in the state. The people of Bengal are praising the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the documents that have been recovered, if put before people, will reveal recoveries beyond Rs 200 crore. Many politicians will go to prison. Didi says ‘Aegiye Bangla’ (We are at the front). Now we know where Bengal stands first.”
With inputs from News18
Union Railway Minister’s Unwarranted Rebuff To Kerala Ministers 