india

Updated: Feb 05, 2019 17:23 IST

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee saying that she is trying to protect a “corrupt officer” in the Sharada chit fund scam case. He said the fact Mamata Banerjee went to the “home of corrupt officer” shows that there is “much more hidden” in the scam case.

Addressing a public rally at Purulia in the state, Yogi Adityanath said, “The chief minister is trying to protect a corrupt officer in the case Sharada chit fund scam…Now, the Supreme Court has paved the way for proper investigation.”

Yogi also took a dig at Banerjee over her sit-in that she launched on Sunday night to protest CBI action against Kolkata police commissioner Rajeev Kumar in the chit fund scam case. Banerjee called the CBI action as “political vendetta” by the Narendra Modi government against its opponents.

The CBI action saw a bitter tussle between the central agency and the Kolkata police and the visiting officials were allegedly detained at a police station. The unusual face-off also saw Banerjee visiting the home of Rajeev Kumar to express solidarity with her state police force.

Yogi slammed Banerjee for visiting the Kolkata police commissioner’s home. He said, “Why did you sit in the home of a corrupt officer. This means there is much more hidden in the Sharada chit fund.”

The BJP leader also responded to Banerjee’s advice that Yogi should focus on managing Uttar Pradesh, his own state, where “lynching is happening and farmers are committing suicide”. Yogi said, “I heard earlier in the day that Mamata Banerjee said that I should manage Uttar Pradesh first. I want to tell her that UP is well managed.”

“The day the BJP forms government in Bengal, the TMC goons will be taken to the task the way the SP (Samajwadi Party) and BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party) goons were dealt with after government formation in the state,” Yogi said.

Earlier in the day in Kolkata, Banerjee had said, “So many people have been killed in UP. Police (officer) was also killed. So many farmers have committed suicide in UP. So many people have been lynched in UP. Let him first manage Uttar Pradesh.”

In Purulia, Yogi alleged that the Mamata Banerjee government had last year refused permission for idol immersion during Durga Puja while allowing the Moharram event in West Bengal. He said, “She gave permission to Moharram function but tried to stop Durga Puja event. Later, the high court intervened to ensure smooth conduction of Durga Puja.”

Earlier, Yogi reached Purulia through Jharkhand by road. Yogi arrived at the rally venue about four hours late. The BJP claimed that the Mamata Banerjee government denied permission for the landing of Yogi’s chopper at Purulia forcing the UP chief minister to travel nearly 50 km by road.