‘Images of PM Modi with Sahara chief, should we arrest him?’: Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on BJP and the Centre on Saturday over the arrest of state Transport Minister Madan Mitra by CBI in Saradha scam and said Trinamool Congress MPs will protest against it in Parliament from Monday.

"CBI has lost all credentials. It has become His Master's Voice. CBI has become a political tool. It is time to wind it up. TMC MPs will protest in Parliament from Monday (December 15) against BJP's politics of vendetta," Banerjee told a TMC rally. "Stay within your limits or face music," she warned the BJP and the Centre and added "People of Bengal will not tolerate insult. They (BJP) are arrogant because they are in power."

Reminiscent of her earlier practice, Banerjee hit the road along with thousands of partymen, including ministers and several sportspersons in a protest march against the arrest.

"I have not come here as chief minister but as a common citizen. I do not believe that Madan is a thief or dacoit. His family's pecuniary condition is not such that he had to take this money (from Saradha ponzi group) to sustain his family," she said.

Its a political conspiracy against me,CM will say what is to be said-Madan Mitra on his arrest in Saradha scam pic.twitter.com/iQ9F0AywRh

— ANI (@ANI_news) December 13, 2014

Apparently referring to photos of Mitra sharing dias with Saradha Group Chairman Sudipta Sen, who is now in judicial custody, at a function of its employees union of which he was stated to be the president, Banerjee said "If an image is a proof of criminal conspiracy, then the PM should be arrested for Sahara scam.

"There are photos of several CPI-M leaders with chit fund owners. There are photos of the PM with the Sahara chief. Should we demand that CBI arrest PM Narendra Modi?, Banerjee said.

Alleging that Mitra, a key party organiser and also state sports minister, was called as witness to the CBI office and was arrested hours after, she said it was done following a phone call from Delhi.

"His son, who met him after the arrest was told by Madan that CBI officials were just interacting with him and asking him as to which school and college he had studied in. At this stage a phone call came from Delhi following which he was arrested.

"Madan was called as a witness. If one after being called as a witness, gets arrested this way then no one will go to depose as witness," Banerjee said.

Asking her party men to politically fight BJP, the TMC chief said, "They (BJP) are trying to start riots in the state. We will never let them make this possible. What will happen if we (the state government) start arresting them?"

"It is time to hit the streets. I ask all sections of the people including sportspersons and people from the cultural field to hit the streets," she said.

Asserting that she would not fire Mitra as minister in the wake of his arrest, Banerjee said for the time being she will oversee the departments held by him.