Mamata’s Change of Track on Modi, Blames Amit Shah and Others for “Excesses” by Central Agencies
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Sept 19: In a change of track, the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee issued a sort of good conduct certificate for the prime minister Narendra Modi while shifting the blame for the alleged “misuse” of the central agencies on the opposition leaders to the union home minister Amit Shah and “some senior leaders” of the BJP.
“I don’t think Modi is personally behind the alleged excesses by the central agencies in West Bengal,” she said and added, “many people may not be knowing that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) does not report to the PMO but function directly under the union home ministry.”
Her comments came while replying to a debate in the state Assembly on Monday on a resolution condemning the alleged excess by the central probe agencies in West Bengal amidst strong opposition from the BJP. The resolution, however, was later passed by the state Assembly with 189 votes in favour and 69 against, fetching a comment from the leader of the opposition and her one-time close aide Suvendu Adhikari stating that her “certificate” to Modi would not help in saving her nephew Abhishek Banerjee who is facing a ED probe on corruption charges. Adhikari also pointed out that a moving such a resolution against the functioning of the CBI and ED and other central agencies was against the rules and regulations of the state Assembly.
Blaming a “section of the BJP leadership” for “misusing the central agencies to serve their interests,” Banerjee urged the Prime Minister to ensure that the agenda of the union government and the interests of his party do not get mixed up. Talking about businessmen “fleeing” the country, she said the blame for it should go to the BJP leaders who were “conspiring” to weaken the country. “Businessmen are leaving the country and running away. They are running away because of fear and misuse of ED (Enforcement Directorate) and the CBI. I believe Modi hasn’t done this. Some BJP leaders are conspiring and they go to Nizam Palace often,” she added referring to Amit Shah.
She maintained that the “present union government is behaving in a dictatorial way. This resolution is not against anyone in particular, but against the biased functioning of the central agencies,” Banerjee, also the Trinamool Congress supremo, said.
“By praising PM Modi, she cannot save her nephew,” BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari later said, pointing to senior party leader and MP Abhishek Banerjee, who is being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the coal scam in the state. The resolution was in a way took the opposition complaints in general that the BJP-led government at the Centre was using Central investigative agencies against opposition leaders.
She, however, said Modi was guilty of listening to the wrong advises by her advisors like on the Cheetahs “released with great fanfare by the PM on his birthday.” “I advise the PM with due respect. They advise you stop funds for Bengal. Why don’t they advise you stop buying cheetahs? I wished the PM yesterday. I advised him not to mix party and government… You are trying to control the nation by using Pegasus. You will be sacrificed one day. Everyone’s phone is tracked,” Banerjee added.
But her sharpest attack was reserved for Suvendu Adhikari – her aide turned enemy number one, and the BJP’s biggest leader in the state. Declaring that the resolution was not meant to condemn anyone, she said it is about being “unbiased.” “How many raids have been conducted at the house of your leader?” Banerjee asked during the lengthy debate targeting Adhikari, who is wanted in several corruption cases.
Meanwhile, in a blow of sorts to Banerjee, the BJP swept the election to a cooperative body in Nandigram, a former Trinamool Congress stronghold where the Bengal Chief Minister was defeated in 2021by Adhikari. The BJP has won 11 of the 12 seats of the cooperative body Bhekutia Samabay Krishi Samity, which was earlier run by Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool. Only one seat went to the Trinamool in the election held on Sunday.
“Nationalist greetings to all the Cooperative Society voters of Bhekutia Samabay Krishi Unnayan Samiti, of my Nandigram Constituency, for electing the BJP panel of directors. Victories like this pave the path for greater success in the future,” Adhikari tweeted. Her setback in the cooperative body polls in Nandigram has been projected by BJP leaders as a sign that she is losing her grip on key strongholds in Bengal, particularly when panchayat elections are due in the state within a year.
The TMC and her supporters, however, felt the victory in the Nandigram co-operative by the BJP was just an exception pointing out the Trinamool’s recent successes in other poll bodies. Last month, the Trinamool had won big in another part of Nandigram. The Trinamool had won 51 seats in Nandigram-2 Block, the CPM one and the BJP none. Mamata Banerjee’s party also swept the polls in Contai and Singur. In addition, the TMC had also won the cooperative elections held last month in Nandigram at Hanubhunia, Gholpukur and Birulia. The BJP failed to win a single seat in those which was a proof that the Trinamool was regaining territory where it lost in 2021, the party claimed.
