“Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, lambasted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s post-election vow to crack down on corruption, dubbing it as ‘Modi’s Assurance’ to incarcerate opposition figures,” she articulated during a gathering in Bankura.
Asserting that the BJP has transformed the nation into a virtual prison, Banerjee urged the spouses of TMC leaders to take to the streets if their husbands face pre-election arrests. The results of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections, spanning from April 19 to June 1, are slated for June 4.
Continuing her diatribe against the federal agency, Banerjee alleged that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) clandestinely ventured into Bhupatinagar in Purba Medinipur district without prior intimation to local authorities.
“The Prime Minister’s upcoming election rallies in West Bengal do not concern me. However, his assertions regarding rigorous actions against corruption post-election results are unacceptable,” she remarked.
Modi, while addressing a rally in Jalpaiguri, insinuated that while he advocates for eradicating corruption, the opposition advocates for shielding the corrupt, pledging more stringent measures post-June 4. “Is this the rhetoric befitting a Prime Minister? What if I were to declare my intent to incarcerate BJP leaders post-election? Such rhetoric is antithetical to democratic norms,” she retorted.
“This, in essence, is ‘Modi’s Assurance’—incarcerating all opposition figures post-June 4,” Banerjee asseverated. She accused the BJP of effectively converting the country and its democratic institutions into a carceral complex. Banerjee contended that “on one hand, you wield the ED and CBI, while on the other, you employ the NIA and Income Tax. These are your accomplices, employed to intimidate us. However, the BJP cannot intimidate us.”
Censuring the BJP for conducting nocturnal raids on the residences of TMC leaders, the Chief Minister declared, “Henceforth, if TMC leaders are targeted by these agencies, their spouses will take to the streets. We are not intimidated by these agencies.”
A mob reportedly assaulted an NIA team on Saturday when it sought to apprehend two primary suspects in a 2022 blast case in Purba Medinipur district, sparking a political firestorm with Banerjee accusing the investigators of brutalizing the villagers.
“Deploying agencies to harass the women of the locality in the dead of night and subsequently alleging that these women assaulted NIA personnel is deplorable. Law and order falls within the purview of the state. It is inappropriate to sidestep local authorities and assault women at 3 am, only to inform the local police at 5 am. Such actions are reprehensible,” she asserted.
Banerjee castigated the central government for the arrest of tribal leader and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, as well as her Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal, questioning, “Why were Hemant Soren and Arvind Kejriwal apprehended? I spoke with Soren’s wife yesterday.” Soren was apprehended by the ED in January in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged land scam.
“Why was Arvind Kejriwal detained? He continues to discharge his duties from incarceration. His arrest will not deter him, as he will secure a larger victory in the subsequent election,” she asserted. Taking a swipe at PM Modi for his silence on providing relief to the storm-affected people of Jalpaiguri, Banerjee remarked, “The BJP-led central government neither announced nor permitted us to provide relief, citing it as a breach of the model code of conduct.”
“The Prime Minister convened a meeting in Jalpaiguri yesterday. However, he remained mum on extending aid to the storm-stricken populace of Jalpaiguri, who lost family members or incurred property damage in the catastrophic tempest,” she lamented.