Kolkata: Reacting to the CBI raid at his residence in relation with the alleged municipal recruitment scam in the state, the minister of Urban Development and Municipal Affairs department Firhad Hakim said that such raids are nothing but “harassment” by BJP for losing in Bengal Assembly elections.
The CBI on Sunday conducted raids at the residences of Firhad Hakim, who is also KMC Mayor, and Trinamool Congress MLA Madan Mitra in connection with the municipal recruitment scam. They also raided the residences and offices of several other chiefs of some municipalities. CBI reached their residences accompanied by the central forces. Before the raids, the mobile phones of Hakim and Mitra were seized while central forces guarded their residences. A large number of followers of Hakim and Mitra gathered outside.
Following the raid, Hakim told the media that the BJP cannot fight TMC politically and hence are misusing the CBI and ED to harass opposition parties. He said that if the BJP is thinking that this will force him to join the saffron brigade then they should know that he will stick to TMC and his ideology.
He said the CBI did not question him about anything but have taken with them photocopies of his documents such as voter card, passport, PAN card, IT-return, property deeds, and also listed the jewellery in possession of his family. Hakim said that his department (UDMA) has no connection with any recruitment.
Asked if such a move was prompted by a court decision, he said courts should make decisions based on evidence and not determine who is guilty on the basis of media reports. There is a reason why it says law is blind, he remarked. He said the result of the raid was a “big zero”.
Hakim said that such use of central agencies is aimed at damaging reputation. Alluding to the Narada bribery case during the probe of which he was jailed for some days, Hakim said: “Never in the history of India was anyone jailed for giving donations to local clubs. I am the only one who was imprisoned. Today’s move was also a false one,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress criticised the BJP led Centre and claimed that the raid by the CBI on Sunday is a desperate attempt to divert the attention from the ongoing demonstration outside the Raj Bhavan, demanding central funds.
TMC MP Sougata Ray criticised the BJP and said: “This is an attempt to divert the public’s attention from the ongoing protest outside Raj Bhavan, led by Abhishek Banerjee. The BJP appears to be sensing a growing public discontent, and they are using every means at their disposal to change the narrative. This is a clear example of vendetta politics.”
CBI also conducted raids at the residences of chairmen of North Dum Dum, Dum Dum, Halisahar, Barrackpore Taki and a few other municipalities in connection with the alleged municipal recruitment scam.