Kolkata, Apr 20 (PTI) West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar on Wednesday slammed West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for politicising Bengal Global Business Summit and asked her to improve the law and order situation in the state before seeking investments.

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He said Banerjee's statements made at the inauguration programme of the business summit and aimed at the Centre was "baseless".

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Majumdar's criticism followed Banerjee's comment at a gathering of industry tycoons at the inaugural day of Bengal Global Business Summit where she urged Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar, who was present at the occasion, to ensure that industrialists are "not disturbed by some agencies" and to raise the issue at the next governors' conference.

Though the chief minister did not name any central agency, she made it obvious that her apparent dig was in response to recent income tax raids and Enforcement Directorate actions against a number of top firms. Her comment had drawn applause from a section of the industrialists present at the business summit.

"It is distresing to see our chief minister using the platform of the business summit to criticise the Centre and politicise the entire event. It is not a platform to make such a statement and the one made by her was baseless. Had the Centre harassed the industrialists, they would not have invested in various parts of the country," Majumdar said.

Hitting out at the TMC government, he said "Until and unless the law and order situation improves in the state, investors will not feel safe to invest in Bengal. The state government should create an atmosphere where everybody can invest without any fear of syndicates".

Taking a dig at several TMC leaders facing CBI and Enforcement Directorate probe in the state, he said, "The chief minister is trying to find an excuse to justify the summoning of corrupt TMC leaders by the CBI."

Describing the situation in the state as "lawless", the senior BJP leader said the state government should first improve the law and order situation in Bengal.

Echoing Majumdar, CPI(M) central committee member Sujan Chakraborty said Banerjee's comments were aimed at justifying the failures of her government in bringing in investments into the state.

"Everybody is well aware of the lack of industries in the state. The chief minister's comment is aimed at giving an excuse in case promises made at the business summit do not materialise. Also was she trying to give an excuse about her party leaders being summoned by CBI in criminal cases?," he asked.

State Congress president Adhir Chowdhury said such statements in front of business tycoons only reflected that the "governor and the chief minister were not on the same page".

"It was not a platform to make such statements," he added.

The ruling TMC replied to the opposition criticism by saying Banerjee had "dared" to speak the truth.

"There is a reign of fear across the country. Even big industrialists are afraid to speak up. Mamata Banerjee has dared to speak the truth. There are instances where industrialists have said they are afraid to speak out on various occasions," TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)