Lok Sabha elections 2024: Oppn leaders being targeted by Modi govt, says Shatrughan Sinha

Shatrughan Sinha. Pic/Yogen Shah

Amid ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024, TMC MP Shatrughan Sinha, who is seeking re-election from Asansol Lok Sabha constituency, on Sunday alleged that opposition leaders are being targeted by the Modi government and are facing "persecution" from central agencies.

Expressing solidarity with Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal, who was recently granted interim bail by the Supreme Court in connection with an excise policy case, Sinha told PTI Video that Kejriwal "paid the price" for his popularity among the people.

"Opposition leaders are being targeted by the Modi government. It is great to hear about Kejriwal's bail. He is paying the price for his popularity," Sinha said. Kejriwal was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on May 10 after being arrested on March 21 by the ED in the case.

On the issue of electoral bonds, Sinha, who had been a BJP MP from 2009-19 and a former Union minister, said, "Even the Supreme Court has declared it unconstitutional."

"There is a need for transparency in funding of political parties," Sinha, who had joined TMC in 2022 and contested the Asansol Lok Sabha by-election successfully that year, advocated.

He said comments of Parakala Prabhakar, husband of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, that the electoral bond scheme is the "biggest scam in the world" was true. About speculations surrounding potential prime ministerial candidates, Sinha said he believed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has all the qualities to fit the bill.

"Mamata didi's leadership credentials, her proven track record and her grassroots appeal make her the possible PM candidate," he asserted.

"I don't think about any other specific qualifications required to become a PM," he added. On the Sandeshkhali issue, Sinha said the sting operation has revealed how BJP used money power to fabricate allegations by some women.

"TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has already spoken about the truth of the matter to people... The issue is also in court. However, if any single such case (of atrocity against women) is found to be true, I would strongly condemn that," he said.

Extending support to the CM's opposition to CAA and NRC, Sinha said, "If she has given a guarantee that CAA and NRC will not be implemented in Bengal, she means it."

"There is no confidence in 'Modi ki guarantee', but people have confidence in 'Didi ki guarantee'," he quipped.

On the issues on his plate as the candidate from Asansol, which will go to polls on Monday, he said, "The condition of coal fields is deteriorating and privatisation of those resulted in large-scale unemployment. The issue of waste management needs to be addressed in a city like Asansol... I have tried my best to do whatever was possible in this two-year term."

"Asansol underwent a seismic shift as the government gradually phased out the subterranean operations in favour of open-cast mines managed by contractors. This transition, while promising economic progress, has exacted a heavy toll on the local populace," he said.

On land subsidence issue in the coal belt area, he said, "The unbridled extraction of resources has led to the sinking of land."

Pledging to prioritise the resettlement and rehabilitation of displaced families, Sinha said, "The families whose land sank and whose homes were damaged never met me, but I am well-versed about their issue."

The actor-turned-politician, fondly referred to as 'Bihari Babu' by lakhs of his fans, said he would effectively utilise the MPLAD funds and ensure transparency through comprehensive reporting mechanisms. "I have properly utilised the MP Development Fund during my tenure and made a comprehensive report on it, which was released to the media," he added.

(With inputs from PTI)