Assembly defers discussion on chit funds till next session

The Committee further explained that the discussion could not have been completed in the “short time” as the MLAs would have to take early leave (on the last day of the ongoing session) to reach their respective constituencies before the arrival of Holi.

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It is learnt that the Chief Minister herself suggested to Speaker Biman Banerjee to postpone the discussion until the next session. State’s Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee had on Monday announced that the non-official discussion would centre around chit fund and its subsequent fallout during the period between 1980 and 2014.

When Chatterjee was contacted on Tuesday, he said: “The discussion on chit fund and the placing of education bill, both were due tomorrow (Wednesday) and both the issues were deferred because the session needs to be over by 1 pm. Since these are lengthy issues, they need time to be discussed.”

He added that the Left Parties, too, had asked for some time before the issue is discussed in the Assembly. “The Left parties said they need more time to prepare for the discussion.”

Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly, Surya Kanta Mishra demanded that the minister (Chatterjee) “explain the reason”. “The notice was not given by us. It was a move taken by the ruling party.”

Reacting to the deferment, BJP state president Rahul Sinha said, “CPM and TMC came together to suppress the chit fund issue. We saw the CM and the Opposition leader whisper something to each other after which the discussion was postponed. If the discussion happens, both the parties would be embarrassed and that is why they have avoided it.”

ED summons NABC founder member

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is likely to grill certain NRI members of the North American Bengali Conference (NABC) in connection with Saradha chit fund scam.

The investigating agency has already summoned NABC founding member Jawhar Bhattacharya. He is likely to appear before the directorate soon.

Sources said NABC’s cultural programme, Banga Sammelan, was sponsored by the Sardaha Group in 2012. The event — held in Las Vegas in the US — was organised by former IPS officer and Trinamool Congress leader Rajat Majumdar.

Several intellectuals, artistes, cultural personalities, politicians and senior cabinet ministers were taken to Las Vegas to attend the programme. Majumdar was grilled over the programme several times before he was arrested.

Sources said Bhattacharya was a founding member of NABC as well as a member of the executive committee between 2008 to 2010.

The ED is also likely to question other members of the NABC.