Daijiworld Media Network  - Jhargram (SR)

Jhargram (WB), Apr 25: Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday launched a derisive attack on West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on her own turf. She alleged that the party, headed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has a 'syndicate morcha'. She also lashed out at the ruling Trinamool Congress claiming that its call for 'parivartan' has brought a change to the fortune of only one family, a member of which was intercepted while bringing gold.

"Our party BJP has a youth wing. It's called the Yuva Morcha. But the TMC has no such thing. It has a syndicate morcha," Sitharaman alleged.

The word 'syndicate' has a sarcastic meaning in West Bengal, it means that the business run by persons allegedly enjoying political patronage, who force promoters and contractors to buy construction materials, often of inferior quality at high prices.

Sitharaman, while addressing a BJP rally in Jhargram district, claimed, "The call for parivartan has brought a change in one family only. Now a member of this family is bringing gold.” Though she did not name anyone in particular it was clear that she was referring to the wife of TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee who is the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The TMC chief Mamata Banerjee had given a call for 'parivartan' (change) before the 2011 assembly election in the state after which she came to power defeating the 34 -year-old Left Front government.

Last month, on March 16, a large scale controversy had broken out when Rujira Naroola, wife of Abhishek Banerjee, allegedly hindered customs officers from checking her baggage at the Kolkata airport on her arrival from Bangkok. Later, it was reported that the baggage contained 2 kg gold and the customs authorities have lodged complaints with the police in this regard.