CM's attempt to check corruption has been maligned by Oppn: Partha

Kolkata: Parliamentary Affairs minister Partha Chatterjee said on Thursday that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's attempt to check corruption within the administration has been maligned by the opposition parties in the state.

While speaking in the Assembly, Chatterjee said: "Those who provide money and those who take them are equally responsible. Both of them deserve punishment. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has taken up a great initiative to fix the accountability on those who indulge in corruption. She has given a platform to raise the issues. The opposition parties are trying to malign the government by politicising the whole issue."

Chatterjee added: "Some political parties are forming groups and trying to politicise a good initiative. They are roaming around with political flags to malign the government. It's a gimmick to show the government in bad light by a party which has no agenda other than spreading religious fanaticism."

Meanwhile, the West Bengal Salaries and Allowances (Amendment) Bill, 2019, was passed in the Assembly with an object to increase the daily allowances of the council of ministers. It has been considered necessary to increase the daily allowances of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker and the Leader of the Opposition as well.

Apart from this, the Bengal Legislative Assembly (Members' Emoluments) (Amendment) Bill, 2019, was also passed in the Assembly on Thursday, with a view to hike the daily allowance of the members of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.

CPI(M) MLA Sujan Chakaraborty, during his speech in the Assembly, demanded that emoluments of the former MLAs be raised by the government. In reply to his demand, Chatterjee said that the state government has no such plans yet in this regard.