Left asks Mamata Banerjee to come clean on graft allegations

KOLKATA: CPI(M) on Thursday asked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to respond to allegations made by a senior IPS officer from the state about "wrong practices" in the Railway Ministry while she was in its charge.

"A senior IPS officer from West Bengal has raised allegations of corruption in the Railway Ministry during her tenure. We are not questioning her honesty but for the sake of her image, she should give an explanation to them within 48 hours," CPI(M) politburo member and opposition leader Suryakanta Mishra said.

Banerjee was the railway minister from 2009 to mid-2011 in UPA-II.

"We had thought that she would come out with an explanation but she didn't. We want her to give an explanation," Mishra said.