Probe PMO, Jaitley role in Mallya escape: Congress
New Delhi, Sep 18 : Upping the ante against the Narendra Modi government for its "collaboration" in letting Vijay Mallya flee the country, the Congress on Tuesday demanded a probe into why the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley did not act against the liquor baron.
"Complicity, collusion, connivance and collaboration of the Modi government at the highest level has been unmasked. Nothing can absolve Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley of their responsibility in Vijay Mallya's escape," Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said.
Pointing to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)'s changing stance against Mallya in the Rs 9,000-crore loan default case, the Congress leader questioned if the "PMO nudged the CBI to protect Mallya".
"Why has CBI shifted its stance thrice - ‘Seeking Advance Information' to ‘Inadvertent Error' to ‘Error of Judgment'? Why are the two officers -- Joint Director A.K. Sharma and SP Harshita Attaluri -- mum on the reason for changing ‘Lookout Notice to Detain' to ‘Inform'?" said Surjewala.
He also said that a consortium of 17 banks led by the State Bank of India was advised to move the Supreme Court against Mallya on February 29, 2016 and get his passport impounded.
"On February 29, the banks failed to file a case or move for confiscation of Mallya's passport. They moved the Supreme Court against Mallya only on March 5 after he had escaped on March 2, 2016. Who directed them not to act against Mallya?" he said.
Surjewala also questioned Jaitley's failure to inform the banks, the CBI, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) and the immigration authorities about his meeting with Mallya and to detain him.
The Congress demanded a comprehensive probe into the role of the PMO, Jaitley and officers of the Finance Ministry, the CBI including then Director Anil Sinha, Joint Director Sharma and SP Attaluri as well as the consortium of banks, particularly the management of State Bank of India, for not acting against Mallya.
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Bengal: On way to PM's rally, 3 mowed down by train amid dense fog
Kolkata (PTI): Three persons died and three others were injured after being hit by a train amid dense fog on Saturday, while travelling to attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at Taherpur in West Bengal's Nadia district, a senior official said.
The incident occurred between Taherpur and Badkulla railway stations under the Sealdah-Krishnanagar section of Eastern Railway, he said.
Modi, whose helicopter could not land at Taherpur due to dense fog and low visibility, condoled the death of the “BJP workers” in his virtual address from Kolkata airport.
“I have come to know that some BJP workers, while travelling to the rally, lost their lives in a rail accident. My condolences are with the families of those who have lost their loved ones, and I pray for the speedy recovery of the injured,” Modi said.
The Eastern Railway official told PTI that the incident occurred in the morning when these people, who were travelling by a bus, had stopped the vehicle and walked to the railway tracks to answer nature's call.
"While three persons died on the spot, two others with injuries were admitted to a local hospital," he said.
Another person with minor injuries was released after having been administered first aid, the official said.
The deceased have been identified as Ramprasad Ghosh (74), Shaktipada Sutradhar (55) and Gopinath Das (38).
Meanwhile, Mahua Moitra, Trinamool Congress MP from Krishnanagar constituency in Nadia district, alleged that the BJP ignored the incident and went ahead with the rally.
"Terrible tragedy hushed up at altar of @narendramodi ego. @BJP4India supporters brought from far Murshidabad for PM rally in Ranaghat today," she said in a post on X.
"4 went to answer nature's call and were killed by 31814 down local train near Taherpur. BJP ignored, blacked out & went ahead with rally," Moitra claimed.
Reacting to her remarks, the West Bengal BJP, in a post on X, asserted that the TMC "has always been adept at milking tragedies", and was being "disrespectful to the unfortunate victims of this tragedy".
The TMC alleged that BJP leaders have not shown "neither concern nor compassion" over the mishap.
"The loss of three lives in Taherpur should have united everyone in grief. But @BJP4India leaders showed neither concern nor compassion," it said in another post on X.
"At this painful moment, Smt @MamataOfficial and Shri @abhishekaitc put humanity above party lines and stood beside the families of the deceased," the party said.
TMC’s on-ground leaders promptly reached out to the grieving family members, ensuring them of help and assistance, it said.
"While Delhi’s rulers chase Bengal with arrogance, our leadership chose empathy. This is the difference between politics of power and politics of people!" the TMC added.
