Key Points
- Mamata Banerjee rushed to I-PAC office after ED raid, took charge of situation
- Accused BJP of attempting to steal Bengal’s election data and strategies through central agencies
- TMC women leaders staged unique protest by singing Bengal state anthem in basement
- Abhishek Banerjee challenged PM Modi and Amit Shah, saying if speaking Bengali is a crime, imprison all 100 million Bengalis
- BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari called Mamata’s presence unconstitutional and obstruction of investigation
- ED clarified raid was related to coal smuggling and money laundering, not elections
- Mamata vowed to stay until Prateek Jain arrived, promised strong TMC response across Bengal
Following the ED raid in Kolkata, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee adopted a highly aggressive stance and went directly to the I-PAC office to take charge, issuing a strong warning to the BJP. Mamata alleged that attempts were being made to steal Bengal’s data and strategies through the use of central agencies. She declared emphatically that after this action, the few seats the BJP might have hoped to win would now be reduced to zero.
Everyone was surprised by the scene in the basement, where Trinamool’s women leaders staged a unique protest by singing the Bengal state anthem. Mamata stated unequivocally that if they wanted to fight her, they should do so democratically, not hide behind central agencies. She alleged that the investigating agency was seizing important files, computers, and hard drives related to elections and party funds, which she called a blatant crime.
Mamata herself said she would personally examine the files and declared that she would not leave the premises until Prateek Jain arrived. She claimed that this action was being taken solely to weaken democracy and steal the party’s strategies before the elections.
Attack On Bengali Identity And Democratic Challenge
Abhishek Banerjee also joined the fray, launching a sharp attack on the central government. He directly challenged Amit Shah and PM Modi, saying that if speaking Bengali was a crime, then they should imprison all 100 million people of Bengal, not just a few. This statement framed the ED action as an attack on Bengali identity and cultural pride, not just a political investigation.
Mamata Banerjee rejected the ED’s explanation about the raid being related to coal smuggling, calling it a political conspiracy. She positioned the entire episode as an assault on democratic principles and federal structure, vowing that the Trinamool Congress would take to the streets across Bengal to give a strong response to what she termed as BJP’s misuse of central agencies.
Political Storm Intensifies With Constitutional Questions
On the other hand, BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari called the Chief Minister’s presence there unconstitutional and said it amounted to obstructing the investigation. A BJP spokesperson said that all this was being done to conceal the illegal money trail, suggesting that Mamata’s dramatic intervention was itself an attempt to interfere with legitimate investigative processes.
The ED, however, clarified that the raid was related to coal smuggling and money laundering and had nothing to do with the elections. This statement directly contradicts Mamata’s claims about the raid being politically motivated to steal election strategies. The agency maintained that its actions were part of an ongoing investigation into financial crimes, not an attempt to interfere in Bengal’s political processes.
Escalating Confrontation Between State And Centre
The confrontation marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the West Bengal government and the BJP-led central government. Mamata’s direct presence at the raid site and her vow to stay until specific conditions were met represents an unprecedented challenge to central investigative agencies.
The incident has transformed what might have been a routine ED investigation into a major political flashpoint, with both sides accusing each other of undermining democratic institutions. As Mamata promised statewide protests by the Trinamool Congress, the situation threatens to further polarize the political landscape in West Bengal ahead of crucial elections.
