Who is providing the funds for helicopter, CPI-M asks Mamata

Krishnanagar (West Bengal), April 27 (IANS) Targeting Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee, the CPI-M Sunday asked her to spell out the source of funds which has enabled her to use a helicopter in the Lok Sabha election campaign.

"We are running around as much as possible. But how is the Trinamool affording helicopter? Who is providing the funds?" Communist Party of India-Marxist politburo member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee told an election rally in this town of Nadia district.

Bhattacharjee, the former chief minister, said despite being in politics for long, his party was not in a position to afford a helicopter for the campaign, because it always steered clear of "ill-gotten wealth".

"We don't touch money which is made through unscrupulous means. We don't indulge in such politics. Trinammool does that," he alleged.

Refering to the Saradha chit fund scam, he asked where the money collected by the company has gone. "The Trinamool gets tense whenever it now hears of Saradha. But we want to know where the money has gone, who has pocketed it."

He demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the multi-crore rupee scandal under the supervision of the Supreme Court.

Attacking the BJP, he said it not only divided the people into rich and poor, but also drew a wedge between Hindus and Muslims.

"The rich corporates are backing Modi. Openly they are saying 'we want Narendra Modi', because they feel if Modi comes to power, their profit margins will increase."

"The country will be in flames if Modi comes to power. The Gujarat chief minister had orchestrated the riots of 2002," he said.

Bhattacharjee alleged that the Banerjee has not made any firm commitment that she would not go with the BJP after the polls. "Not even once has she said that. Earlier, she had sent flowers to Modi. Till today, she has not said she did something wrong by doing it."

"She has also never said that she made a mistake by joining a government led by the BJP".