Contain Saradha fallout

The Saradha chit fund scam has shown up several politicians in very poor light. The arrest of the two-time MLA Madan Mitra by the CBI throws more light on a possible nexus between leaders of the ruling Trinamul Congress in West Bengal and those who ran the real-estate Ponzi scheme that deprived many ordinary people of their life savings. In grandstanding against the arrests Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is challenging the Centre to catch her. It is not worthy of a CM, particularly as she has also called for the PM’s arrest on some vague guilt-by-association charge.

Ms Banerjee says the central investigating agency’s actions are motivated and stemming from the CBI being the handmaiden of the powers that be. Such surmises are not to be ruled out altogether, not until the evidence holds up in court and those involved are proven guilty.

The BJP president has vitiated the atmosphere by making unsubstantiated charges. In averring that some of the scam money has gone towards funding terror activities in Bangladesh from in and around Bengal’s Burdwan district, Amit Shah has tried to make political capital even as an NDA minister affirmed in Parliament that such a link was not proved. While the crux of the issue revolves around the undeniable guilt of those who ran the Ponzi scheme, people in power have not set the best example. Will they allow reason to return is the question.