No terror finance in Bangladesh

The Indian government has appeared to have spoken in different voices as a federal minister told the House that probe so far had not revealed Saradha chit fund money was used to finance terror in Bangladesh.

"The investigation has so far not revealed any such transaction where money was routed to Bangladesh to fund terrorist activities," Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh of BJP told the Lok Sabha in a written response yesterday.

This remark contradicts what BJP President Amit Shah alleged at a rally in Kolkata on Sunday that Saradha chit fund money was used in the October 2 Burdwan blast, which is being probed for alleged link with Jama'at-ul-Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

"Saradha chit fund money was used in the Burdwan blast. NIA is not being allowed to probe the blast properly. Hurdles are being created. It is being done in order to save Trinamool Congress leaders who are involved in the blast," Shah alleged.

Jitendra Singh's ministerial colleague and eminent singer Babul Supriyo, a BJP lawmaker from West Bengal, expressed surprise over Singh's statement and alleged that Trinamool Congress and its lawmakers had links with terror plot in Bangladesh.

"I came to know about Jitendra Singh's statement a little while back. I need to find out why he said so," Supriyo told reporters

"West Bengal government was instrumental in destroying evidence that could prove the state government's, Trinamool Congress' or their MPs' connection with the terror plot that is not only West Bengal-centric but also finds its way into Bangladesh and neighbouring countries," Supriyo said.

Jitendra Singh was asked if Indian government had sought details of the probe into Saradha chit fund scam after reports indicated that a part of the money was routed to Bangladesh to fund terror activities. In reply, Singh said the government had not sought details of the probe.

Opposition Congress party leader M Veerappa Moily attacked the BJP president saying he should have understood the sensitivity of the issue as it dealt with a close neighbour.

"He should not forget he is admitting that Indian money is being used to finance terror activities. It is a very damaging statement. Either he is irresponsible or he is making political statements to malign some political parties in West Bengal," he said and demanded an apology from Amit Shah to the country and people of West Bengal.

Moily said, "Is the government working at cross-purposes? Everyone knows that Amit Shah is the right hand man of [Prime Minister Narendra] Modi. That means any statement made by the BJP government or ministers, it has to be taken with a pinch of salt."

Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bando Padhyay said, "Amit Shah is basically an uninformed person. He has no knowledge of the subject nor any idea of what he has to say in a public meeting."

CPI (M) leader Sitaram Yechury found the minister's statement "strange and contradictory" to what Shah had claimed in the public meeting in Kolkata that there was a link that has been established and that was why the National Investigation Agency was there.

"Now for the minister of state to give a statement in the House clearly indicates that there is some deal between Trinamool and BJP because BJP requires Trinamool's support to get out of Rajya Sabha stalemate," he said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has meanwhile said, "Some people think they can say anything they want."

"I never speak without evidence. I know my limits. Some people think they can say anything they want just because a section of the media is supporting them," Mamata said yesterday in an apparent reference to Shah's claim that Sardha chit fund money was used in the Burdwan blast.

"Catch me if you can... The surge of development will continue. I am a fighter. I will keep fighting. Counter me politically if you can," she said.

"Amake chamkale ami gorjai. Amake dhamkale ami borshai [if I am threatened, I thunder. If somebody tries to browbeat me, I pour out]" she said.

Hitting out at a section of the media, which, she alleged was constantly spreading canards to put her government in bad light, Mamata said at a rally in Jalpaiguri that "Just like you should never eat adulterated food, you should also avoid adulterated news."

"Some shops sell bad food. Some shops sell good food. Similarly, some sections of the media sell bad news," she said.