Mamata Banerjee questions Modi for not arresting Himanta in Sharada scam

Producing a document, Banerjee alleged that it contains information on Dr Sharma as the owner of the chit fund and taking Rs 3 crore.

Addressing an election rally at Dhubri in western Assam, she said, “You have Himanta babu here. Who is he? He is your minister. He is also in this chit fund. Rs 3 crore was paid to him, the owner has said in this document.”

“Has any action been taken against him (Dr Sarma)? Why has prime minister Modi not been able to arrest him?” the Trinamool Congress chief questioned.

She handed the document to her party leaders of the state, asking them to pursue the matter.

Banerjee also hit out at the BJP-led state government, claiming that her Trinamool government in neighbouring West Bengal has been able to benefit the people against the ‘false promises’ to the people of Assam by its government.

Referring to the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, she said, “NRC is a lollipop, CAB is a lollipop.”

She pointed that her government was the only one that spoke out for the 40 lakh applicants whose names were excluded from the final draft of NRC, while questioning the reason for putting a question mark on citizenship of Indians from other states residing in Assam.

Banerjee termed the CAB a ‘conspiracy’, alleging that the government was doing mere lip-service.

She further took a dig at the Assam government for the alleged deplorable conditions of detention camps for illegal foreigners, claiming that even children are held in these camps.

“Trinamool Congress has received many threats for bringing up these issues. But we cannot

be bought by money, fear or threats. We are a party of ‘ma, mati, manush’ (mother, motherland, people) and we are not afraid of anything,” Banerjee added.

She was campaigning for Trinamool candidate Nurul Islam Choudhury, who is seeking to usurp two-time MP Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, who is the supremo of AIUDF, from Dhurbi Lok Sabha constituency, which goes to the polls in the third and final phase of voting in the state.