Mamata slams Centre over ED notice to Sanjay Raut

Kolkata, June 27 (IANS) West Bengal Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday hit out at the Centre over the Enforcement Directorate (ED)'s summons to Shiv Sena leader, Sanjay Raut over questioning on an alleged money laundering case.

"I heard that a Shiv Sena leader in Maharashtra has received summons from ED today. I heard that there is an attempt to attach his property as well. This is the BJP's tactics. Whenever they want to harass any opposition leader or topple a state government, they just let loose the central agencies.

"It is being done everywhere. The CBI and the ED will haunt you if you speak the truth. The country or life cannot move on like this. Why all are threatened like this?" she said, in her address at a government function at Burdwan.

On the other hand, Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, at a rally in Cooch Behar district drew the reference of Maharashtra, in threatening to topple the West Bengal government by 2024.

"It has started with Maharashtra. Now after travelling through Rajasthan and Jharkhand, we will reach West Bengal and bring an end to the state government here by 2024," he said. All four states are currently ruled by opposition parties.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also lambasted the Union government on the Agnipath scheme of defence recruitment.

"After going through a training period for six months, one will be appointed for only four years. What will these youths do after that? How can one maintain the expenses for his own life from the earnings of just four years? This is nothing but another eyewash before the Lok Sabha elections. I demand the service period should be at least till 60 years and if possible, 65 years," the Chief Minister said.

She also said that she might go to New Delhi soon to settle the issue of non- payment of central dues on account of different schemes like Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), among others. She also demanded that the state governments should be allowed to operate schemes like PMGSY, which is a housing scheme, in their own names.

Banerjee also slammed the local administration over complaints from a section of farmers that they are facing difficulties while selling their products at the local Kisan Mandis.

"I will not tolerate this. If anyone faces this problem, just go to the BDO office and file your complaints. The BDO should file an FIR and I am instructing the police to take action and even arrest those who are harassing the farmers," she said.