Mamata gets support from Kleptocrat's club : Arun Jaitley

In a series of tweets, Jaitley, who is now in the USA for medical treatment, named Congress President Rahul Gandhi as one who "somersaulted his po sition from Saradha being a scam to standing by the side of a "scamster" and said such unprincipled alliances would prove disaster for India.

"More importantly those who have lent support to the West Bengal Dharna are those who are battling serious allegations of economic improprieties, criminal misconduct and even corruption. Can “New India” be ever run by this Kleptocrat’s Club?" he said.

"When Mamata Banerjee decided to sit on a Dharna she received support of many opposition parties who aspire to be in power. Most of them, or their affiliates are today being investigated, prosecuted and in some cases have also been convicted for crimes of corruption."

"Curiously, the AICC President somersaulted his position from Saradha being a scam to “shoulder-to-shoulder”support to scamster. Interestingly, the first family of Congress where most members are on bail. A non-ideological short-lived coalition of opposition is disaster for India," he said. 

Jaitley said, " 2019 Election will be either Modi Vs. Chaos or Modi Vs. Anarchy. Mamata Banerjee’s latest acrobatics are the best evidence of the kind of governance India’s opposition can provide."

The minister said the CBI is being "brutally prevented" by physical force and detention of its officer from investigating a crime legally within its jurisdiction, in the State of West Bengal. "It is a textbook illustration of a State Government assaulting Federalism"

"It would be a gross error to assume that she did this because of a routine investigation involving a Police Officer. She did it to defocus from other opposition aspirants for the highest office and to project herself as the nucleus of India’s opposition."

"Mamata Banerjee’s disproportionate over-reaction to the CBI wanting to interrogate the Kolkata Police Chief has flagged several issues for a public discourse. The most important being that a Kleptocrat’s Club now aspires to capture the reigns of India."

Jaitley's tweets came after Mamata Banerjee sat on a dharna in Kolkata after a group of CBI officials tried to enter Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar's residence to what they said interrogate him in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam. The CBI alleged that some important documents relating to the scam were missing. The sleuths were, however, physically prevented by the Kolkata police personnel and were even detained for sometime. The matter is now pending with the Supreme Court following an appeal by the central investigation agency.

Banerjee immediately sat on a dharna protesting attack on the constitution and accusing the Centre of using CBI for "political vendetta." Several opposition leaders, including Congress President Rahul Gandhi, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and DMK leader Kanimozhi- all of whom amid a nationwide effort to stitch an anti-BJP coalition to overthrow the Narendra Modi Government in the coming Lok Sabha elections-expressed their solidarity with Banerjee.