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The Modi government contradicted Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah’s statement that the Saradha scam money was routed to Bangladesh terror groups.
Jitendra Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday said: “The investigation has so far not revealed any such transaction where money was routed to Bangladesh to fund terrorist activities. The matter is under investigation.”
However, the government position was in variance with Shah’s remarks in a rally in Kolkata on Sunday, when he said Saradha chit fund money was used in the Burdwan blast. He had said: “The National Investigation Agency is not being allowed to probe the blast properly. Hurdles are being created. It is being done in order to save Trinamool Congress leaders who are involved in the blast.”
Union minister Babul Supriyo, elected on a BJP ticket from West Bengal, expressed surprise over Singh’s statement.
“I got to know what Jitendra Singh said a while ago. I need to find out why he said so,” Supriyo said while alleging that some Trinamool leaders had links with Bangladeshi terror outfits.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu said: “You ask the minister and the party president. I do not comment on each and everything and you cannot expect me to comment on my party president.”
Government sources said Singh’s reply had been misinterpreted by the media. According to them, the question in Parliament was specific to the CBI investigation and the answer to investigation done by the CBI and there “may be other investigating agencies like the NIA” inquiring into the case.
“What the minister said is a statement of facts. Let the investigation be complete. Truth will come out. The allegation against Amit Shah is bogus,” said Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar. Congress leader Veerappa Moily targeted Shah saying he should understand the sensitivity of the issue as it “deals with a close neighbour.”
“He should not forget he is admitting that Indian money is being used to finance terror activities. It is a very damaging statement. Either he is irresponsible or he is making political statements to malign some political parties in West Bengal,” Moily said.