Amit Shah Challenges Mamata Banerjee To Throw Out Sting-Tainted Leaders

Kolkata: Mounting a blistering attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, BJP president Amit Shah today dared her to throw out from the party Trinamool Congress leaders who are seen purportedly accepting bribes in lieu of undue favours in the Narada clips.

Mr Shah also refuted allegations of match fixing between BJP and Trinamool in the Saradha scam, saying CBI investigation is taking time as the West Bengal government-created SIT has made a mess of the entire thing.

"Mamata Banerjee had earlier pledged to fight against corruption. Mamatadi on moral grounds should throw out those party leaders seen on camera accepting bribes. If Mamatadi is so confident that her party leaders are innocent then why she is not requesting a CBI inquiry into the Narada sting operation," Mr Shah said at a press meet in Kolkata.

Rubbishing the allegation of match fixing also in the Narada case, he said, "Some people in the media are asking what is BJP doing? What will the BJP do in it? The leaders belong to TMC. Mamatadi should throw them out of the party on moral grounds.

"In Lok Sabha we had a majority so we had sent the matter to the Ethics committee, but in Rajya Sabha we don't have a majority. The Congress and Communists have a majority in Rajya Sabha why are they not sending it to Ethics committee," Mr Shah asked.

When asked why is the BJP government not taking initiative to get the CDs of the Narada sting probed, Mr Shah said, "There is a federal structure. As soon as Mamatadi asks for CBI investigation in Narada sting, we will get the CDs investigated."

Told about the instance of Uttarakhand sting operation where the BJP had taken initiative to get the CDs probed, Mr Shah said, "It was Uttarakhand Governor who had sent the CDs.

Let the state government ask for CBI investigation, we will then investigate the CDs."

Mr Shah also said that the Election Commission should remove the police officials seen in Narada sting and also the police commissioner of Kolkata police.

"Earlier we used to see investigative journalists, now we are seeing investigative police, where police is being sent to trap our leader Rahul Sinha. I want to tell Mamatadidi that because your party has been maligned in Narada scam, you are also trying to malign us," he said.

"What is the use of taking action against two junior officials, (since) the police commissioner is directly involved in it. I would request the Election Commission to look into the matter and the police officials seen in Narada sting and the Kolkata police commissioner should be removed for free and fair elections," Mr Shah said.

When asked why the CBI investigation into the Saradha scam slow down in the last two years, Mr Shah said, "CBI is an independent organisation. But let me tell you that the state police has made a mess of entire thing that it is taking a bit time to put everything in place. Whether it's Saradha or Khagragarh the state police have messed up the entire thing."

Mr Shah attacked the Congress and CPI(M) for forging an alliance in Bengal and fighting against each other in Kerala.

"They are fighting against each other in Kerala and in Bengal they are forging an alliance. What is the ideology of CPI(M), they talk a lot about ideology. They stand exposed after an alliance with Congress," Mr Shah said.

Mr Shah recalled that Left Front chairman Biman Bose had met Ms Banerjee in Nabanna (State secretariat) in 2014 after there was rise in BJP's vote share.

He reiterated there has been no deal between Trinamool and BJP and his party will never compromise on the issue of corruption.

"Those who want to help the communists are using this Modi Bhai-Didi Bhai notion to create a confusion. I as the president of BJP am saying this clearly that there can never be an adjustment between BJP and TMC, or BJP and Communists," Mr Shah said.

When asked why the BJP wave in Bengal had died down in the last two years, Mr Shah contested it saying, "Our movement has not died down, it is a section of media house which is propagating that our movement has died down. We are fighting hard against TMC".

Turning to West Bengal, Mr Shah said the industry of bomb-making has only come up in West Bengal in last five years.

"Only the bomb making industry has come up in West Bengal in last five years. And the music of Rabindra Sangeet is getting suppressed because of those bomb blasts," he said.