Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday fired more salvos at the Centre and demanded a probe to find out the people behind the PNB fraud.
In an apparent bid to give a political angle to the Rs 11.5 thousand crore-scam, Banerjee said mere arrest of lesser officials would not suffice in a fraud of such magnitude, adding that the people who were providing shelter to the scamsters should be brought to book.
“It is known to one and all that not only Punjab National Bank but many other banks are involved in the scam which would not have been possible without the help of the shelter-providers. We want the people who provided shelters and acted as an umbrella to be brought to book,” Banerjee said, iterating the scam had started from the time of demonetisation.
“I am told that the scam was being planned about a year before demonetisation which played a big role in providing an impetus to the biggest bank fraud in the country,” she said wondering why “certain people were recruited in certain banks.”
In some banks people were recruited in a “dubious manner” she said. “Documents stand testimony to what is being said now. The people will rely on the documents and not those who talk big in public,” Banerjee thundered at a public speech in Murshidabad adding the hard-earned money of the people had been allowed to be taken away by the Government.
“The people’s money is now being used for making fun. This is a fun-lovers’ Government. They do not understand the problem of the common people which is why they are taking anti-people measures like Notebandi whereby big people make merry while the poor people suffer.”
On how the Centre was “planning to take away the hard-earned money of the people,” Banerjee said referring to the FRDI Bill that her party would never allow the Bill to become a law.
“They (the Centre) have made plans to appropriate all the poor people’s money through this Bill that says that the banks will reserve the power to stop payment if they fail. I have written a strong letter to the Centre against this Bill. If they decide to continue with the Bill then we will go for a bigger movement,” Banerjee said adding this Government was run by a party of exploiters who exploit the poor to pay the rich.