West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday took her fight over the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on I-PAC to the streets of Kolkata, saying at a rally that if someone tries to “hit” her politically, she gets “reborn”.
This comes after the ED raided the Salt Lake office of the I-PAC, along with the London street home of its co-founder, Pratik Jain, on Thursday in connection with a 2020 coal scam case. Banerjee had stormed into Jain’s home while the raid was still ongoing, an action the central probe agency termed as “obstruction”.
Defending her action, Banerjee said: “What I did yesterday, I did as the Trinamool Congress chairperson. I have done nothing illegal.
The TMC supremo added that many things had been taken away by the time she arrived. Alleging that central agencies like the ED and CBI were being used for political purposes, she asked, “If someone tries to kill me politically, don’t I have the right to defend myself?”
The CM hit out directly at the BJP, alleging that all central probe agencies “have been captured”. She also reiterated the opposition’s vote theft allegation, saying that the BJP had “forcibly captured” Maharashtra, Haryana and Bihar and were now eying West Bengal.
“All agencies have been captured. You forcibly captured Maharashtra, Haryana and Bihar. Do you think you can capture Bengal too? If someone tries to hit me politically, I get politically rejuvenated and reborn,” she said.
Mamata Banerjee said that several BJP leaders were also involved in coal scams, specifically naming the leader of the opposition, Suvendu Adhikari, whom she alleged had “sent money” to union home minister Amit Shah.
“I have all the proof on pen drives. I will release it when the time comes,” she said.
Adhikari has sent a legal notice to the chief minister for her remarks against him.
From Kolkata to Delhi: TMC protests ED action on I-PAC
Earlier in the day, several Trinamool MPs, including Derek O’Brien and Mahua Moitra, had staged a protest outside the office of union home minister Amit Shah in New Delhi.
Many party leaders, including as many as eight MPs, were detained by the Delhi police after being forcibly removed from the site.
Mamata Banerjee then led a 6-km protest rally in Kolkata. Beginning the rally from Jadavpur, Banerjee walked at the front with a big group of party leaders and workers behind her, and a large crowd lined the sides of the road to support her. The rally ended in Hazra, where she gave her fiery speech.
The ED action against I-PAC is linked to an alleged coal scam. The political consultancy has been working with the TMC since June 2019. It also handles the party’s social media along with helping strategise for the upcoming assembly elections in the state, which are expected by May this year.
What did I-PAC say on the ED raids?
I-PAC issued its first statement on Friday, a day after the ED action and raised “serious concerns” over the raids, calling the move an “unsettling precedent”.
“Officials from the Enforcement Directorate carried out searches at the I-PAC office and at the residence of our Director, Pratik Jain, in Kolkata. It was a difficult and unfortunate day for a professional organisation like I-PAC. We believe this raises serious concerns and sets an unsettling precedent,” I-PAC’s statement read.
It said that the agency has extended full cooperation and engaged with the process in complete accordance with the law.
The political consultancy group, which has been associated with several political parties, said that its role is limited to transparent and professional political consulting.
“Over the years, I-PAC has worked in a professional advisory capacity with multiple political parties across ideologies and regions, including the Bharatiya Janata Party, Indian National Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, All India Trinamool Congress, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, YSR Congress Party, Telangana Rashtra Samithi (now BRS), Janata Dal (United), Shiv Sena, among others. We do not contest elections or hold political office. Our role is limited to transparent and professional political consulting, uninfluenced by differences in political ideology,” the statement said.