Kolkata: Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Thursday said that failure to act against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over alleged obstruction during search operations would send a wrong message to the people of the state.
Speaking to reporters, Adhikari referred to the Chief Minister’s visit earlier in the day to the office of political consultancy firm India Political Action Committee (I-PAC) and the residence of its co-founder Pratik Jain on Loudon Street in central Kolkata, where the Enforcement Directorate was conducting simultaneous search operations.
He alleged that Banerjee entered the premises during the raid and left with several papers and electronic materials. Adhikari accused the Chief Minister of repeatedly interfering with the functioning of central investigative agencies, calling it a pattern of behaviour.
Recalling earlier incidents, he said that in 2019, Banerjee had attempted to obstruct a Central Bureau of Investigation probe at the residence of then Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, and had later staged a sit-in protest against the agency. He also cited a similar protest in 2021 outside the CBI office at Nizam Palace following the arrest of senior Trinamool Congress leaders.
Adhikari said the Chief Minister often overlooks her constitutional responsibilities. “She is not just a political leader but the Chief Minister of the state. She cannot misuse her position to stop central agencies from carrying out their duties. What happened today was unethical and unconstitutional,” he said.
Urging the ED to take action in accordance with the law, Adhikari warned that any inaction would set a dangerous precedent. He also questioned why the Chief Minister appeared so concerned about a raid at the office of a private firm.
I-PAC has been working as the election strategy agency for the Trinamool Congress since 2020.
(With Inputs From IANS)
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