Mamata Banerjee Accuses BJP of Using Central Agencies to Seize Control of Bengal

Mamata Banerjee reiterated her accusation on Saturday, citing the reported assault on a National Investigation Agency team in Bhupatinagar, that the "outsider" BJP was determined to use central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate, CBI, and NIA to seize control of Bengal.

The chief minister claimed that the village women's "torture" by the NIA team during their unexpected raid—which seems to have taken place without prior notice to the local government—was a kind of provocation and that it had sparked unplanned opposition.

Does the NIA have the authority to enter a community at night without first giving notice to the local law enforcement and government officials? Mamata told reporters in Raiganj, "They have done it only to support the BJP," before boarding a chopper to go to South Dinajpur to speak at a rally.

"Our booth agents are about to be arrested by the BJP, who is using devious tactics." With the assistance of the authorities, the party believes it can win the election by apprehending our operatives and election managers. That won't take place.

Mamata went on, "I've discovered that the NIA, not the ladies, is the organization behind the assault. In the guise of NIA, you would employ the police force of the BJP to torture women in villages without notifying the local police. How much do you anticipate? Will the ladies just sit there and not argue or push back? That which was anticipated has so occurred.

Bengal has seen violence against central agency teams in the last several months. While trying searches or arrests, Enforcement Directorate (ED) officers encountered violence at Bongaon and Sandeshkhali.

The opposition parties, particularly the BJP, accused Mamata of inciting these assaults after her remarks following the Bhupatinagar episode.

The chief minister's resignation was sought by Nisith Pramanik, the MP for Cooch Behar and Amit Shah's deputy, while Suvendu Adhikari, the head of the opposition in the assembly, charged her of masterminding the assaults.

Mamata said that the public was becoming resistant to the central authorities' sporadic operations.

"The NIA is requested to look into things even if a cracker pops. Minorities and even other groups are being discriminated against by the agency. People employed by the agency are selectively detaining people, she said.

"People's reactions are inevitable. That the BJP won't always be in power should be kept in mind by the officials who are turning to such actions.

Mamata reaffirmed that the BJP was ordering the government authorities to carry out their actions.

"The ED and income-tax (department) are funding boxes for the BJP, while the NIA and CBI are the brothers of the BJP," she said at a public meeting in Tapan, South Dinajpur.

"Why did they arrest Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren if the BJP is so sure that it will win over 400 seats in the Lok Sabha?" She went on, mentioning the chief ministers of Jharkhand and Delhi, both of whom are now in office.

The remorseful attitude taken in private by a number of Trinamul officials contrasted strongly with Mamata's aggressiveness about the Bhupatinagar event.

Mamata also gave the Election Commission of India (ECI) a hard time. "What the BJP has been saying is being done, but we thought the Election Commission would act impartially," she said.

Mamata ordered Trinamul leaders to organize groups of poll workers to be stationed at the booths on election day during mass gatherings in North and South Dinajpur.

The belief of the BJP is that they can win the polls by apprehending our agents. We need many levels of agents to be prepared. Women from the detained people's families would be stationed at the booths as agents if necessary, according to Mamata.