West Bengal polls: Rahul vows Congress will act against Narada, Saradha scamsters

Raghunathganj/Kandi (West Bengal): Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of making "tall promises" but not bothering to act on them, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Monday said the upcoming Congress-Left Front alliance government would take strong action against those involved in scams like Saradha and caught in the Narada sting operation.

He urged Congress and CPM workers to fight the Trinamool together on the streets and the polling booths and assured that he would stand by them in their struggle. "Your government will be formed in a few days," he said.

He said that while Modi had spoken about giving jobs to two crore youths, Banerjee had promised to ensure employment for 70 lakh people.

"Modi talks of 'Make in India' programme. He said two crore youths will get jobs. People believed him and brought him to power, but not a single youth got a job," Gandhi said while campaigning in Raghunathganj in Murshidabad district.

A file photo of Rahul Gandhi. PTI

"The same goes for Mamata as well. She promised jobs to 70 lakh youths. But is there a single youth who got a job? Instead, they have to migrate to other states in search of livelihood," the Congress leader said in election meetings at Raghunathganj and Kandi.

The Congress has tied up with the Left Front led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist for the ongoing assembly polls.

He also accused Banerjee — who wrested Bengal with Congress support — of changing overnight after becoming the chief minister.

"Once the polls ended and Mamata became the chief minister, the very next day she changed. Her working style changed, her way of talking changed and she forgot all her promises she made to the Congress and the people of Bengal," Gandhi said.

He also attacked Banerjee and the Trinamool over the multi-crore-rupee Saradha scam, the Narada sting operation and the Vivekananda flyover collapse in Kolkata in which at least 26 people were killed.

"After the flyover collapsed, Mamata ji is now talking of taking action. But I want to ask why didn't she act in the last five years when her own men were constructing this flyover using spurious material.

"I want to ask why she did not act when the Saradha scam came out and her people were caught taking bribes on camera," Gandhi said, referring to the sting operation in which over a dozen Trinamool leaders were allegedly shown accepting bribes.

"Much like Modi says that he will bring back black money from abroad, but does not act against (liquor baron) Vijay Mallya or (former Indian Premier League chairman) Lalit Modi, Mamata is also doing nothing," the Congress leader said.

He said Banerjee has also not delivered on her promise to end 'syndicate-raj' in the state.

Exuding confidence that an alliance government with his party as a partner would come to power in the state, he said: "We will take the toughest of action against those involved in corruption cases, like the Saradha scam and the Narada sting."

Gandhi said farmers across the country were distressed, but nothing had been done for them.

"Mamata calls herself a leader of the poor, but did not bother to implement the Food Security Act despite the then United Progressive Alliance government providing funds to the state," he said.

At Kandi, Gandhi spoke of the Rs.440 crore sanctioned by the Centre's erstwhile United Progressive Alliance government for the Kandi Master Plan to combat floods and the Jaldhara scheme initiated by the UPA to provide pure drinking water, especially to the eight arsenic hit districts in the state.

"Nothing has been done. UPA government had sent money, but Mamata ji has not utilised it."

Exhorting workers of the Congress and the CPM, he said: "For five years, you have faced torture. You have been beaten up, pressurised, they (goons associated with Trinamool) have broken your bones.

"Now remain together. Fight in the polling booths, in the election, fight on the streets. Your government will be formed in a few days. You fight with all your strength. I am with you."