No need to worry, it’s a political game: CM
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (File Photo) Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee (File Photo)
CHIEF MINISTER and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Monday came out in defence of accused party leaders after the CBI filed an FIR against 12 Trinamool leaders in the Narada sting case.
Speaking to mediapersons at the state Secretariat, Nabanna, Mamata said the Narada probe was a “political game”. “There is no need to worry. This is a political game and we will fight it politically. Filing an FIR does not prove that the leaders are guilty,” she claimed.
The CBI has filed an FIR against 12 Trinamool leaders, including ministers and MPs, in the Narada sting case where these leaders have been shown accepting cash. The sting operation was conducted by Narada News and while the filming supposedly took place in 2014, the tapes were released ahead of the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections.
Mamata fought the elections under the shadow of the Narada sting, which however did not seem to affect the election results. Trinamool won resoundingly. Trinamool secretary general Partha Chatterjee said the party “would do the needful to counter this’’.
“We will do whatever is required to be done. The party will discuss the matter. But there is a suspicion, why is everything being done right now,” Chatterjee said. Speaking to reporters on the sidedness of an event, state Transport Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who has been named in the CBI FIR, said it was a conspiracy against the Trinamool. “Everybody knows that it is not corruption but a conspiracy. We will fight it legally,” he said.
Most other leaders who have been named in the FIR refrained from commenting. Party vice-president Mukul Roy said: “I am a man of the party. Whatever statement my party makes is my statement.’’ Speaking to The Indian Express, state Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee said: “I will not say anything on this. Our party will comment on this.”
Trinamool MP Sultan Ahmed said he would not comment on the matter as it is sub-judice. “The matter is sub-judice. We will only reply in court,” Ahmed said. MP Saugata Ray, meanwhile, refused to comment on the matter.
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