Modi-Shah trying to engineer coup in Bengal, says Mamata
KOLKATA/NEW DELHI: Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee went on a dharna and lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval Sunday evening after a massive showdown between the Kolkata Police and the officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation over the questioning of Kolkata police chief Rajeev Kumar. "How dare you come to a police commissioner's home without a warrant," thundered Banerjee.
"There is a total constitutional breakdown. It is my job to protect my officers ."
Banerjee accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah of trying to organise a coup in the state.
She also alleged that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval was directing the CBI to harass political opponents, as per orders of the prime minister.
"I feel ashamed to talk to such a prime minister who has blood on his hands," she said.
"Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are trying to organise a coup in the state as we had organised the opposition rally on January 19. We were aware that the CBI would attack us after we organised the rally," Banerjee said, referring to the Brigade rally attended by leaders of about 20 opposition parties.
Banerjee said the CBI's action is politically vindictive.
"Our government arrested chit fund owners when we came to power. It is we who formed a SIT to probe the matter," she said in a hurriedly-called press conference outside Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar's residence.
In an unprecedented development, 40 CBI officers, who had gone to question Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar in connection with chit fund scam cases, were bundled into police jeeps, whisked to a police station and let off after being briefly questioned.
A senior police officer said they( the CBI team) had been taken to the police station to check if they had the documents required for questioning Kumar.
As politics played out on the street, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rushed to the residence of Kumar. She had earlier extended her support to Kumar and alleged that the BJP was "misusing power to take control of the police and all other institutions".
"The Kolkata Police Commissioner is among the best in the world. His integrity, bravery and honesty are unquestioned. He is working 24x7 and was on leave for only one day recently. When you spread lies, the lies will always remain lies," Banerjee added.
Various opposition leaders including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader Ahmed Patel, BSP supremo Mayawati, ex-UP CM Akhilesh Yadav, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, ex J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah and Tejashwi Yadav have denounced the BJP over the CBI action. Andhra chief N Chandrababu also called up his Bengal counterpart.
The Opposition parties are expected to take this up in Parliament.
CBI joint director Pankaj Srivastav confirmed that they did not have a search warrant; otherwise there was the possibility of information being leaked. " Our team went to examine, and if he( Rajeev Kumar) had not cooperated, we could have arrested him."
CBI officials in Kolkata indicated late on Sunday that they had brought Sunday's developments to the notice of their higher-ups in Delhi, and they could move the Supreme Court as early as Monday.
