Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday acquitted Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue of traders fleeing the country on the radar of investigative agencies. He said the blame should go to “BJP leaders (who) are conspiring”, pointing out that the CBI now reports to the Union Home Ministry, which is controlled by Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Mamata Banerjee said, “Businessmen are running away from the country. They are running because of fear and misuse of ED (Enforcement Directorate) and CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation). I believe Modi has not done this.” During a debate initiated by his party, the Trinamool Congress, in the Bengal Assembly, the central probe agencies are being “misused by the Centre”.
“Many of you don’t know that the CBI no longer reports to the PMO (Prime Minister’s Office). It reports to the Home Ministry. Some BJP leaders are conspiring and they often visit Nizam’s Palace,” the chief minister said. ” ,
For Mamata Banerjee, who has always been an aggressive critic of PM Modi and Amit Shah, these comments were shocking.
BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari, her former aide, suggested that she was trying to help her nephew and party MP Abhishek Banerjee, who is being questioned by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the coal scam in the state.
“The BJP will not fall for this trick. It is trying to save itself and its nephew,” the official said.
Bengal took forward the opposition’s complaint that the BJP-led government at the Center was using central investigative agencies against opposition leaders by passing a resolution in the state assembly today.
Announcing that the resolution is not meant to censure anyone, the chief minister said it is about being “fair”.
However, Ms Banerjee had other complaints about the prime minister. He indicated that PM Modi was guilty of listening to his advisors on the subject of cheetahs, which he left with much fanfare on his birthday.
“I advise the PM with due respect. He advises you to withhold money for Bengal. Why don’t they advise you to stop buying cheetahs? I wished the PM the best yesterday. I would advise him Am that they don’t mix party and government… You are trying to control the nation by using Pegasus. You will be a sacrifice one day. Everyone’s phone is tracked,” Ms Banerjee said.
But his sharpest attack was reserved for Suvendu Adhikari, the tallest BJP leader in the state.
“How many raids have been conducted on your leader’s house?” During the lengthy debate ahead of the vote, Ms Banerjee targeted Mr Adhikari, who is wanted in several corruption cases.