Mamata attacks CPI-M’s stand on 2G scam
By IANSTuesday, November 30, 2010
KOLKATA - In an effort to punch holes in the Communist Party of India-Marxist’s (CPI-M) stringent criticism of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government over the 2G spectrum controversy, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Tuesday made a veiled reference to the state Left Front government’s alleged association with corporate lobbyist Nira Radia.
“Regarding the 2G scam… If you go for the details, you will find there are so many areas where the Left Front government handed over work to this particular woman. I’m not going to disclose her name,” Banerjee told media persons before leaving for Delhi.
Alluding to Radia, she said: “From 2006 when Singur started, to 2007… 2008, there were so many of such type of people doing such things. You can find out”.
Asking the CPI-M leaders to see their face first in their mirror, she said “Why is it you can only criticise in Delhi? Why can’t you criticise your own government? Charity begins at home.”
“Take the case of WBIDC (West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation - the agency of the state’s commerce and industries department that acquired the land for the Tata Motors’ factory at Singur), Haldia and all government developmental projects. How many times they have talked?”
Banerjee said on the other hand, there was no dichotomy in her party’s stand on corruption. “We want justice to be meted out in each case… if justice is to meted out for the Maharashtra Adarsh housing scam, then justice should also be meted out for Rajarhat (a satellite township of Kolkata where the Trinamool has began protests against alleged forcible land acquisition). .
Expressing her party’s support to the UPA government on the spectrum issue, she said her party wanted the truth to come out, and for that all parties need to sit together and zero in on the formula.
She said the main bone of contention was the form of discussion. “We are not in favour of any type of corruption, but we think discussions are needed. And the government also wants that”.
While the opposition has created a logjam in parliament for days demanding a Joint Parlimentary Committee probe into the scam, the government has maintained that the Public Accounts Committee was the right body to deal with the issue.
