Bhubaneswar: Opposition BJP and Congress continued their attack on the ruling-BJD in Odisha over links with Rose Valley chit fund scam and Trinamool Congress (TMC).
Alleging that BJD and TMC have struck an undeclared alliance, Odisha BJP vice president Sameer Mohanty today told media persons that the ruling-party in Odisha has agreed to provide its own people for a rally planned by TMC in Odisha on January 10.
Moreover, Mohanty also asked who was the ruling party MLA from Cuttack who arranged a rented house in Mancheswar area of Bhubaneswar for Rose Valley Group chief Goutam Kundu’s media venture? Moreover, he also indicated that a BJD minister had also arranged a meeting of Kundu with CM Naveen Patnaik.
Citing that two and a half years have passed and the affected investors are yet to get back their money; Mohanty said that the Odisha BJP will make this a poll issue in the upcoming Panchayat Elections.
“There is an undeclared alliance between BJD and TMC. Two and a half years have passed since the government’s assurance but the chit fund scam-affected investors are yet to get back their money. It is a known fact in some quarters that Goutam Kundu was in Odisha to set up a media house. The CM should clarify who arranged a meeting with Kundu,” said Mohanty.
In response to BJP’s allegation, BJD minister Damodar Rout said “The CBI took up the chit fund investigation on Supreme Court directive. Now the BJP is in power at the Centre and the CBI is a central agency, so why they are not cracking the chit fund case as soon as possible? I am not against the incrimination of the real culprits. Now the BJP is alleging that a Cuttack MLA is linked and is not naming him. Hence the whole thing should be investigated first to find out who the person is”
“BJP is bringing these baseless allegations to stay in media limelight and in view of the upcoming Panchayat Elections. Without any proof and basis it seems like they are only bluffing,” said BJD spokesperson Rabi Narayan Nanda.
Also Read: Chit fund scam: BJP alleges BJD link with arrested TMC MPs
On the other hand the Congress has alleged that BJD MLA from Cuttack-Barabati, Debashis Samantray is linked to Goutam Kundu and he arranged a meeting of the ponzi firm chief with the Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik.
“Debashis Samantray was involved in Aashta chit fund and there was a Mercedes car in his driver’s name. However, the whole issue was covered up. The manner in which the links of TMC MPs with Kundu have surfaced, I want to inform all that the ponzi firm chief shared links with Odisha CM and MLAs. In the Rose Valley scam involvement of lot of people here will come out in the open. Hence we demand that the CBI should bring the MLA and others into the purview of its investigation,” said President of Cuttack Nagar Congress, Mohammed Moquim.
“CBI is investigating the matter and in case someone is involved then the investigating agency will be the first to reveal the details. Without CBI naming anyone, I don’t understand why they are making such allegations. Seems like the CBI wants them to bring out such random names or they themselves are making these allegations to tarnish BJD’s image,” responded Debashis.