Kolkata, Dec 14: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday hit the streets to protest the arrest of her minister Madan Mitra in the Saradha scam, and wondered if Prime Minister Narendra Modi should be arrested for the Sahara scandal as he was photographed with the Sahara group chief who is now behind bars.
"A red diary was obtained after raiding the Sahara office. It had several big names. Empty vessels sound much. There are images of the prime minister with the Sahara chief (Subrata Roy). Should we arrest the prime minister?" Banerjee asked, as she led a demonstration protesting against the arrest of Transport and Sports Minister Mitra, reported IANS.
"There are images of several CPI-M leaders with chit fund owners. If an image is a proof of criminal conspiracy, then the prime minister should be arrested for the Sahara scam," Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress chief, said, in a reference to video footage of Saradha group programmes where Mitra was seen praising purported graft mastermind Sudipto Sen.
Attacking the BJP, Banerjee said: "The BJP knows it cannot fight Trinamool politically. They are using the CBI to counter us. Common people have hit the streets today to protest against the politics of vendetta by the BJP."
"The CBI has lost all credentials. It has become His Master's Voice. CBI has become a political tool. It is time to wind it up. TMC MPs will protest in Parliament from Monday," Banerjee said.
"His son, who met him after the arrest was told by Madan that CBI officials were just interacting with him and asking him as to which school and college he had studied in. At this stage a phone call came from Delhi following which he was arrested.
"Madan was called as a witness. If one after being called as a witness, gets arrested this way then no one will go to depose as witness," Banerjee said.
In an apparent indication of the pressure the Trinamool was facing after Mitra's arrest by the CBI, Banerjee said: "Time does not wait for anyone. We have to act as per the need of the hour."
"I must tell those who are in power - Stay within your limits or you will face the music," she said.
"I have not come here as chief minister but as a common citizen. I do not believe that Madan is a thief or dacoit. His family's pecuniary condition is not such that he had to take this money (from Saradha Group) to sustain his family," she said, reported PTI.
Banerjee also accused the BJP and the CBI of efforts to "destroy the sports infrastructure in Bengal" by targeting the iconic football clubs.
The chief minister said culture and sports in Bengal were under threat.
"Mohun Bagan, East Bengal are under threat. It is time to hit the streets. I ask the sportspersons to hit the streets. Our support is with you," she said.
The CBI has arrested East Bengal official Debabrata Sarkar and Trinamool Congress parliamentarian and Mohun Bagan assistant general secretary Srinjoy Bose.
The probe agency also questioned other office bearers of the two clubs, besides closing some bank accounts of the two football outfits.
The protest rally started at 1 pm at the base of the statue of legendary footballer Gostho Pal. Several prominent sportspersons were present.
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