New Delhi : The government and the BJP appeared to be speaking in different voices on the Saradha chit fund case Wednesday, as union minister Jitendra Singh informed parliament that the probe so far has not revealed any transaction where money was routed to Bangladesh to fund terrorist activities.
“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,” Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Jitendra Singh informed the Lok Sabha in a written response.
He was replying to a question whether the government sought details of the probe after reports said a part of the money was routed to Bangladesh.
Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah claimed during a party rally in Kolkata that money from the Saradha chit fund was used to fund the Burdwan blast and the Trinamool Congress government was trying to save the accused.
He alleged involvement of Trinamool leaders in the blast, and accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of compromising national security by hindering the NIA probe into the blast in which Bangladeshi militants were involved.
“The National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the blast is being hampered. The agency is not being allowed to work. Many Trinamool leaders are involved in the blast and Mamata didi will have to give all these answers during the polls,” Shah said.
Trinamool leaders Wednesday lashed out at Shah following Jitendra Singh’s remarks and demanded an apology.
Communist Party of India-Marxist leader Sitaram Yechury said there was “match-fixing” between the BJP and Trinamool.
Union Minister Babul Supriyo, who hails from West Bengal, did not comment on Jitendra Singh’s remarks but accused the Trinamool government of tampering with evidence that could prove links with the terror plot.
BJP leader Siddharth Nath Singh denied there was any contradiction between the government and the party regarding the Saradha scam.
He said Shah’s comments were based on reports that were in the public domain and Jitendra Singh said the matter was being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Jitendra Singh also sought to clarify matters to the media and said the last part of his reply clearly stated that the matter was under investigation.