There was a lot of uproar after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reached the office of Kolkata-based political consultancy firm IPAC, while the Enforcement Directorate was conducting a search operation in connection with the alleged fake government job scam.
Banerjee raised questions on the action of the agency. He alleged that the ED has seized party-related material, including hard disks and lists of candidates, and accused the Home Minister of misusing central agencies.
Speaking to reporters, Mamata Banerjee said, “Is it the duty of the ED and Amit Shah to collect the party’s hard disk and the list of candidates? That despicable, cunning home minister who cannot protect the country is taking away all my party documents.”
The Chief Minister further warned that similar action against the BJP would lead to a strong reaction, and alleged that the ruling party at the Center was gathering information about the Trinamool Congress ahead of the upcoming West Bengal elections.
He also claimed that names of voters were being removed from the state’s voter lists during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee further said, “What will be the result of raiding the party office of BJP? On one hand, they are removing the names of all the voters by running SIR in West Bengal. Due to the elections, they are collecting all the information about my party.”
The Enforcement Directorate is conducting search operations at 15 locations across the country as part of its investigation into the fake government job scam in West Bengal. It is alleged that the scam involved an organized network that duped candidates by promising them fake appointments.
Earlier on January 5, Mamata Banerjee had launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists.
He alleged massive voter suppression and warned that his government would take legal steps, including going to the Supreme Court, to protect people’s rights.
Addressing a public meeting in Gangasagar in South 24 Parganas district, Banerjee claimed that around 54 lakh names have been removed from the voter lists in the district alone. He alleged that artificial intelligence was being misused to remove names and accused the Election Commission of acting like a “Whatsapp Commission”.
In a direct personal attack, the Chief Minister called Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar “Vanish Kumar” and warned that if people’s rights were “disappeared”, those responsible would have to face consequences.
She insisted that there would be no internment camps in West Bengal and that she would challenge any such move legally.
It is noteworthy that elections are going to be held in West Bengal in the first six months of this year.
