After Rahul Gandhi supports Mamata against Modi, Bengal Congress rallies against chit fund scam

Kolkata, Feb 6: The Congress on Wednesday, February 6, took out a huge rally in Kolkata demanding the arrest of those accused in the Saradha chit fund scam.

The rally, which was attended by West Bengal state Congress chief Somen Mitra, took place a day after the state's chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, called off her two-day dharna staged against alleged over-activism of the Centre led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Banerjee started the dharna after a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team reached Kolkata to question its police commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with the chit fund scam. The local police detained the CBI officers in turn, sparking off a major tussle between the Centre and state.

While Banerjee called it a "super emergency" imposed by the Modi government, the BJP countered saying she was busy hiding something or somebody by backing the police commissioner.

The matter went to the Supreme Court which asked Rajeev Kumar to cooperate with the CBI but said the latter can't arrest him. Both the Trinamool Congress and the BJP termed it as their respective "moral victory".

While Banerjee's dharna was on, she was extended support by major anti-Modi leaders of the country who came together with her at the massive brigade rally organised in Kolkata on January 19. Congress president Rahul Gandhi tweeted extending solidarity to Banerjee against the Centre saying PM Modi was destroying India's institutions.

However, the state chapter of the Grand Old Party begged to differ and said Banerjee was trying to safeguard the criminals. Wednesday's rally also reiterated the same - the contradiction between the stances of the top leadership of the Congress with that of the state leadership.