Mamata blames central agencies for CCD owner\'s death

Kolkata: Training guns on the Modi government once again West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has blamed the central investigative agencies for the death Cafe Coffee Day founder V G Siddhartha. She complained that the central agencies have been forcing many industrialists to leave the country.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday afternoon she said, "I am deeply shocked by the incident relating to V G Siddhartha, Cafe Coffee Day founder. It is indeed very sad and very unfortunate. From what he has expressed, it appears that he was greatly depressed due to harassment and pressure from different agencies for which he could not run his business in a peaceful manner. This he could not resist."

The Trinamool Congress supremo elaborated, "I hear from different sources that captains of industry in the country are under pressure; some of them have left the country and some are contemplating to move out. All the opposition political parties are afraid of horse-trading and harassment with political vendetta."

She alleged, "On one hand, the economic growth of the country has nosedived to as low as 5.8pc in the fourth quarter of 2018/19, the lowest in the last 5 years, and unemployment has increased to the highest level in the last 45 years. On the other hand, central government is actively pursuing disinvestment of government assets, from Ordnance Factory Board to BSNL, from Air India to Railways, from Chittaranjan Locomotive Works to Alloy Steel Plant, Durgapur and about 45 more public sector undertakings."

Banerjee also claimed, "The overall economy is in bad shape with the common people suffering the most. Industry and agriculture and creation of employment is the future of our country. If industry is demoralised, then there will be no economic and employment growth. As a result, more and more people will become jobless."

She added, "My appeal to the government is that when you have been elected, you have to work in a peaceful manner so that people are confident and that political vendetta and agencies do not destroy the future of the country. I express my deep condolence to the family members of Siddhartha. I feel really sad to hear the news. I thought of sharing my feelings and thoughts with all of you."