New Bengal bill kicks off row
A day before Mamata Banerjee government is set to propose a new bill that aims to curb the ponzi scheme menace across the state, Opposition parties voiced their displeasure over the rejection of the old bill without any proper justification.
Leader of the Opposition Surya Kanta Mishra on Monday questioned the state government’s decision to introduce a new bill to monitor the activities of ponzi scheme companies, which was extremely similar to the bill that the Left Front had passed in the Assembly way back in 2009.
“There are 90 per cent similarities between the proposed bill and the old bill. Then what is the need for the new bill?” he asked.
Mr Mishra also demanded that the government should clarify the reasons why it had withdrawn the old bill. He claimed that in the constitution there was no provision to call back a bill which had been passed by the Assembly.
Echoing Surya Kanta Mishra, Congress leader Manas Bhuinya said, “Around 98 per cent of the contents of the proposed bill have provisions of the previous bill tabled by the Left Front. If implemented the bill would have no power to punish the fraudulent companies.”
However, state commerce and industries minister and deputy leader of the House Partha Chatterjee said that the Left Front had failed to get the Presidential assent after the bill was passed in the Assembly in 2009.
“Did they call back the previous bill of 2003 before passing a new bill in 2009? It is known to everyone that without withdrawing the old bill one cannot propose a new bill. We are preparing a bill which will be transparent enough to take stringent measures against any ponzi scheme companies,” said Mr Chatterjee.
“Tomorrow we will bring a motion before the Assembly and possibly the oppositions will get all their answers,” he said. Mr Chatterjee further informed that an instruction has been issued to all Trinamul Congress MLAs to be present in the Assembly from 10 am.
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