Only Chit Fund Industry Is Flourishing In Bengal, Alleges Amit Shah

Howrah: After Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president Amit Shah targeted Mamata Banerjee government today, saying that only chit fund industry is flourishing in West Bengal and the state was turning into a safe haven for anti-national elements and fake currency racket during Trinamool Congress rule.

"The 17 lakh people who have been duped by Saradha and Rose valley chit funds want to know what happened to the money that was siphoned off. In Bengal all industries are closed and only one industry is flourishing - that is chit fund," Mr Shah said apparently sounding the bugle for the Assembly election barely a few months away.

"The people may know her as CM, but the chit fund owners know her as a great painter, whose paintings were bought for crores (by them).

"The people are not fools didi (Mamata), they know very well that chit funds are running in connivance with TMC," he told a rally in Howrah.

Attacking Trinamool Congress, the BJP president said, "Its vote bank politics has turned Bengal into a hub for anti-national elements. Regular bomb blasts proved how anti-national elements and fake currency rackets have turned it into a safe haven. Infiltration is encouraged for the sake of vote bank politics."

Like Mr Singh, he too attacked the Trinamool Congress government on the issue of violence in Malda and alleged, "It was mishandled by the TMC government."

"The entire country is worried about Malda violence but the Chief Minister is saying it is a result of scuffle between BSF and locals. It is not true. The morale of police has been brought down. The police station was attacked and police vehicles were burnt.

"I want to ask are you Chief Minister of the entire state or only for those goons?" Mr Shah asked.

Mounting onslaught on the Trinamool Congress government, Home Minister Rajnath Singh had on Thursday stated "Ma-mati-manush" (mother, earth and people) and even police are not secure in West Bengal and had said the Malda incident was not a small one.

Urging the people to give BJP a chance in the coming Assembly poll, Mr Shah said, "We will take Bengal on the path of development. We don't practice vote bank politics."

Infiltration from Bangladesh would be checked if BJP is voted to power in Bengal, he added.

Questioning why only Trinamool leaders have been found to be involved in the Saradha scam, Mr Shah sharpened his attack, saying, "Is it a coincidence that only TMC leaders are involved in bomb blasts? Earlier fake currency used to enter India through Punjab and Rajasthan. But now Bengal has turned into a gateway for fake currency notes to India."

He alleged that it was due to the misrule of Congress, Communists and Trinamool that the state was moving backwards.

"Earlier Bengal was at the epicenter of development. But due to misrule of Congress, Communists and TMC, the state is now going backwards," he said.

Citing examples, Mr Shah claimed that BJP stood for development and it was mirrored in states ruled by it.

"Only change in favour of BJP can take Bengal to a new route of development under the leadership of Narendra Modi," he added.