Is Trinamool MP linked with Bangladesh militants, BJP asks Mamata

Burdwan, Jan 20 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tuesday asked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to clarify whether one of her party MPs has connections with the militants in Bangladesh.

Banerjee, the Trinamool Congress supremo, is scheduled to undertake a three-day visit to Bangladesh next month.

Addressing a party rally here, BJP general secretary and observer for West Bengal Siddharth Nath Singh also sought a clarification from the Trinamool Congress chief on whether around Rs 100 crore was siphoned off by politicians in her state to Bangladesh over the past three years

"Mamataji is going to Bangladesh. We wish her good luck. But Mamataji, before going there, you have to give one clarification. Because not only in the Bangladesh newspapers, all frontline Indian newspapers have also been writing that a Trinamool MP is aligned with the militants in Bangladesh," said Singh.

"Before leaving for Bangladesh, you will also have to clarify that whether in the past three years around Rs 100 crore has been siphoned off from West Bengal to Bangladesh. It has been written that those behind it are Bengal politicians, state level leaders," he said.

Banerjee has accepted an invitation from Bangladesh government to participate in the Bhasha Divas (International Language Day) celebrations in Dhaka Feb 21 as the guest of honour.