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TMC MPs allege misuse of CBI in Saradha case

Last Updated 16 December 2014, 09:12 IST

Belligerent Trinamool Congress members today made vain attempts to corner the government charging it with misusing CBI in the Saradha scam and walked out twice from the Lok Sabha, even as government said it was ready to discuss the issue.

When TMC leader Saugata Roy raised the issue during Zero Hour alleging that the investigating agency was being "politically manipulated by the BJP to weaken the West Bengal government", several ruling party members stood up in protest and Speaker Sumitra Mahajan asked another member to speak.

Mahajan, while allowing Roy to speak, had made it clear that he should not make any allegation.

However, Roy raised the issue and also accused the government of "various omissions and commissions and weakening the federal structure" by "withholding" funds for national rural employment guarantee programme.

Upset over not being allowed to continue, Roy and his party colleagues raised slogans and walked out in protest.

Roy earlier charged HRD Minister with "misleading" the House by stating that there was no official circular to direct schools to hold essay, elocution and other competitions on the Christmas Day.

He demanded that the Speaker should "ask the HRD Minister to correct her statement."
To this, Mahajan said she had asked for a "factual report" in this regard from the minister.

Trinamool Congress members again got into a verbal spat with Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Pratap Rudy when Leader of Congress Mallikarjun Kharge asked the government to make a statement on the hostage crisis in Sydney.

As Rudy rose to respond, TMC and Congress members sought a statement from the External Affairs Minister, to which the Minister shot back "who are you?" A heated exchange ensued, with some TMC and Congress members shouting back.

Earlier, when the House met for the day, more than 20 TMC members trooped into the Well shouting slogans for some time during Question Hour and then staging a walkout.

They alleged that the government was misusing CBI in the Saradha ponzi scam.
They were protesting the rejection of an adjournment notice given by Saugata Roy by the Speaker.

After they walked out, Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu criticised the TMC members, saying it does not make any sense to disrupt the House everyday as government was ready for a discussion.

"Let there be a debate on Saradha scam anytime," the Minister said, adding that corruption cannot be hidden by shouting slogans in the House.

However, Congress members protested against Naidu making an intervention in the matter, with party leader Mallikarjun Kharge wondering as to how the Parliamentary Affairs Minister can clarify on the Saradha issue during Question Hour.

Last week, CBI had arrested West Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra in connection with the scam.

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(Published 16 December 2014, 09:12 IST)

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