A 10-member delegation of Trinamool Congress sat on a 24-hour dharna outside the Election Commission of India office in the national capital, demanding that the chiefs of CBI, NIA, ED and Income Tax Department be changed. The leaders carried placards in their hands, which read "NIA DG, ED, CBI Directors Change Now". The protest, along with the leaders' demand, comes as the row over the NIA team attack in West Bengal last week intensifies further.
What did the TMC say?
The delegation of the TMC leaders included Derek O'Brien, Dola Sen, Saket Gokhale and Sagarika Ghose who met a full bench of the Election Commission (EC) over their demands.The TMC has alleged that the central probe agencies have been working at the behest of the BJP and targetting the Opposition leaders.
"The BJP is misusing central agencies against us. The way NIA, ED and CBI are working and targeting TMC leaders is shameful. We would request the EC to ensure a level playing field for all political parties," Sen told reporters at the Kolkata airport before leaving for New Delhi.
The TMC alleged on Sunday an "unholy alliance" between the NIA and the BJP ahead of elections, prompting the central investigating agency to deny any mala fide intention and label the entire controversy as "unfortunate".
A team of the NIA was allegedly attacked by a mob on Saturday when it went to arrest two main suspects in a 2022 blast case in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district. The incident sparked a political row in the state with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accusing the investigators of assaulting the villagers "and not the other way round".
Delhi Police detains protesting TMC leaders
Delhi Police detained the TMC leaders who were sitting on a protest outside the Election Commission of India office.
Abhishek Banerjee calls it "murder of republic"
TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee slammed the Election Commission and alleged that it is behind the "murder of republic".
"Why does the Election Commission not remove the NIA Director and NIA SP despite having all the evidence? ..If West Bengal DG can be changed only on the complaint of BJP leaders, then why are the NIA Director and NIA SP not removed when we are bringing out the facts?" he said.
"Our delegation went to meet the Election Commission today...The way women MPs were dragged and detained is the murder of the republic and the main reason behind this murder is the Election Commission," he added.
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