With CBI looking for Rajeev Kumar, Oppn poser to Mamata on Modi meet: Why now?

The leader of Congress in Lok Sabha and MP from Bengal, Adhir Chowdhury, said “There are times to advocate the state’s need for monetary allocations, but why has she suddenly met the Prime Minister? Now when the CBI is hunting down former city police commissioner Rajeev Kumar, the meeting takes place all of a sudden. This is very curious.”

Kumar, said to be close to Banerjee, has failed to turn up before the CBI on Monday in connection with the Saradha chit fund case. The agency has accused him of tampering with evidence and sheltering influential persons in the multi-crore scam.

Meanwhile, BJP general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya said Banerjee was making a last-ditch bid to save Kumar.

“Earlier she used to abuse Prime Minister Narendra Modi on every occasion. She even went on to say that she does not feel the need to respect Modiji as prime minister. She didn’t attend the swearing-in ceremony, NITI Aayog meetings and the meeting of chief ministers. Why is she seeking a meeting with Modiji is anybody’s guess,” Vijayvargiya said.

State minister and senior TMC leader Firhad Hakim dismissed the Opposition allegations. “One administrative head has held a meeting with another administrative head. Mamata Banerjee has said that for the development of the state she had to meet the Prime Minister and seek funds for projects. If she goes, it is a problem for the Opposition. If she does not, it is still a problem for them.”