KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday launched a fierce attack on the BJP-led Union government following Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids at the Kolkata office of Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) and the residence of its director and co-founder, Pratik Jain. Banerjee alleged that the central agency had “looted” her party’s internal election-related documents under the pretext of conducting a raid.
After visiting I-PAC’s Salt Lake Sector V office, Banerjee claimed that crucial data linked to the Trinamool Congress’ (TMC) upcoming Assembly election strategy had been taken away. According to her, the ED seized the party’s candidate list, booth-level details, internal strategy papers, financial documents, hard disks, bank account information and data related to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. She described the action as a “crime” and accused the BJP of trying to forcibly “capture” and “bulldoze” Bengal.
“I-PAC is not a corporate entity. It is engaged in implementing Trinamool Congress’ poll strategy. The raid was intentional and aimed at transferring our election strategy to the BJP,” Banerjee alleged, adding that the searches began early in the morning when few people were present at the office. She said an FIR would be filed against the ED’s forensic team for allegedly transferring party data from laptops.
Banerjee also claimed that files were left scattered during the raid and said she personally took back some party-related documents from both the I-PAC office and Pratik Jain’s residence. Visuals showed police officials accompanying her as files and diaries were removed and placed in her vehicle. Strongly criticizing the Centre, Banerjee said the BJP was a “killer of democracy” and accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah of misusing central agencies. “If he has the courage, he should come and contest elections here. Why is he targeting I-PAC and stealing my party’s documents?” she asked, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to rein in the Home Minister. (IANS)
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