In first meet with PM, Left attacks TMC over Saradha

Amid the escalating confrontations between the BJP and the Trinamool over Saradha scam, Left parties Monday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to demand a thorough probe into all ponzi scams and asked the Centre to take the responsibility of compensating the victims.

This was the first meeting between the Left leaders and Modi.

“Given the huge number of victims, we sincerely hope that you will urgently intervene and also put in place corrective mechanisms and regulations, so that such frauds cannot be committed in the future,” the Left’s memorandum to Modi said.

Even as it remains a harsh critic of the Modi government and its policies, they met Modi at a time when Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress is facing the heat over the biggest ponzi fraud with alleged large-scale involvement of Trinamool leaders.

While Banerjee’s government had earlier announced compensation to victims of Sharada scam, Left’s demand that the Centre should “identify the people involved in the larger conspiracy and attach their properties, movable and immovable, and ensure return of the deposits to the people so defrauded.”

CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury also asked the PM to review the current policy on National Savings Scheme. “If NSC gives better returns, then poor people will not run after ponzi scams.”

Yechury led the delegation that consisted of Left Front chairman Biman Bose and Left leader in West Bengal assembly, Suryakant Mishra, among others.

Bose, who demanded that other Trinamool leaders including Banerjee should be grilled, also announced that the party has no problem in any of its leaders are quizzed by the CBI. “If we find anyone doing any misdeed, we will take action. We are not like the Trinamool who retains a minister who has been arrested by the CBI.”