New Delhi/ Kolkata: The BJP is using central agencies against us, claimed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, shortly after the Enforcement Directorate summoned Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira Banerjee in an alleged money laundering case involving coal smuggling. While the MP from Diamond Harbour has been asked to appear before the agency in New Delhi on September 6, his wife has been asked to appear before them on September 1.
Challenging the BJP to fight against her party politically, the Chief Minister said, "Why are you unleashing the ED against us. Against your one case we will raise bagfuls. We know how to fight back. We know the history of Gujarat."
Stepping up the counter attack, Mamata Banerjee pointed out that allocation of rights for natural resources like coal comes under the purview of the central government. "No use pointing fingers at the Trinamool for corruption in coal. It is under the centre. What about its ministers? What about the BJP leaders who looted the coal belt of Bengal, the Asansol region," she said at the party's foundation day programme.
Taking aim at the centre's recently announced National Monetisation Pipeline plan - where underutilised government assets will be monetisatised by bringing in private participation - Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP government of trying to sell the country's assets. "The government is trying to sell of the country. Railways, airports, PSUs...they want to sell everything off. Can you sell the soil of the country?" Banerjee said.
The government will monetise assets worth £16 billion from the roads sector, £15 billion from the railway sector and £7.9 billion from the power sector, said NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant. The centre will also monetise £2.08 billion from airports, £1.3 billion from ports, £3.5 billion from telecom, £1.15 from stadiums and £4.52 billion from power transmission sectors.
