West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at an election rally on Saturday (PTI Photo).
Kolkata:
In her first public meeting in Kolkata this election season, Mamata Banerjee took the issue of the sting operation by its horns and claimed there was a political conspiracy behind it.
"Where did the money come from? This is all foreign money," she thundered at her meeting in Satyanarayan park in North Kolkata. "We want to know who from the BJP, who from the Congress and who from the CPM met with the man behind the sting."
"Right now, I'm busy with the election campaign but after the elections we will investigate all this, inch by inch," Ms Banerjee said. The sting referred to was conducted by a news portal, Narada News, headed by journalist Matthew Samuel, which erupted mid-March.
In footage released by Narada, 11 lawmakers of the Trinamool are seen allegedly accepting bundles of cash in return for favours to be granted to a fictitious company.
Initially, Trinamool dismissed the sting as a fraud. However, the Lok Sabha sent the matter to the ethics committee. In the last week, the ethics committee has sought explanations from five lawmakers.
Ten days ago, the party grudgingly said it would hold an internal probe. But the opposition is asking, why an internal probe and not a CBI probe?
"There is nothing to stop Mamata Banerjee from demanding a CBI probe, especially if she thinks foreign money and her political rivals are involved," said Bengal Congress chief Adhir Chowdhury.
According to sources, Trinamool has tried to brazen out the sting operation. So far, polls have been on in rural areas where the sting had less visibility.
But from today, urban areas will begin to vote. Urban voters are more aware of the sting and Trinamool is having to answer questions about it.
"Where did the money come from? This is all foreign money," she thundered at her meeting in Satyanarayan park in North Kolkata. "We want to know who from the BJP, who from the Congress and who from the CPM met with the man behind the sting."
"Right now, I'm busy with the election campaign but after the elections we will investigate all this, inch by inch," Ms Banerjee said. The sting referred to was conducted by a news portal, Narada News, headed by journalist Matthew Samuel, which erupted mid-March.
In footage released by Narada, 11 lawmakers of the Trinamool are seen allegedly accepting bundles of cash in return for favours to be granted to a fictitious company.
Initially, Trinamool dismissed the sting as a fraud. However, the Lok Sabha sent the matter to the ethics committee. In the last week, the ethics committee has sought explanations from five lawmakers.
Ten days ago, the party grudgingly said it would hold an internal probe. But the opposition is asking, why an internal probe and not a CBI probe?
"There is nothing to stop Mamata Banerjee from demanding a CBI probe, especially if she thinks foreign money and her political rivals are involved," said Bengal Congress chief Adhir Chowdhury.
According to sources, Trinamool has tried to brazen out the sting operation. So far, polls have been on in rural areas where the sting had less visibility.
But from today, urban areas will begin to vote. Urban voters are more aware of the sting and Trinamool is having to answer questions about it.
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