The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to influence the judiciary and using central investigative agencies to harass political opponents, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee accused in a letter to non-BJP chief ministers and opposition parties in an attempt to unite the opposition while battling a law and order crisis in the state.
“Time and again, the BJP tries to attack the federal structure of this country by attempting to influence a certain section of the judiciary,” she wrote on Sunday. “I have the highest regard for the judiciary. But at present, due to certain biased political interferences, people are not getting justice, which is a dangerous trend in our democracy.”
Banerjee called for a meeting of all non-BJP chief ministers and political parties, alleging that the BJP was also using central agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED), to “target, harass and corner political opponents across the country”.
The development comes after the Calcutta high court on Friday ordered a CBI probe into the Birbhum violence in which nine people were killed following the murder of a village leader of the Trinamool Congress on March 21.
The state unit of the BJP dismissed the accusations and the Congress said the TMC lacked credibility in the fight against the BJP
{{/usCountry}}The state unit of the BJP dismissed the accusations and the Congress said the TMC lacked credibility in the fight against the BJP
{{/usCountry}}After the court ordered a federal probe into the Birbhum incident on Friday, TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the party will cooperate with the investigative agency, but alleged that his party believed everyone has been compromised by the BJP.
“TMC believes everyone has been purchased by the BJP. The BJP is using various sections for their political purpose,” Ghosh said. “Why was no CBI probe been ordered in other cases, including Delhi riots, Hathras, Unnao and Lakhimpur Kheri?”
Banerjee for long has advocated for a third front led by regional outfits to take on the BJP in the 2024 general elections. The TMC, which is keen to expand its footprint beyond West Bengal, has made its intentions clear that it would take on the BJP at the national stage in 2024.
“I urge that every one of us (should) come together for a meeting to deliberate on the way forward at a place as per everyone’s convenience and suitability,” she wrote in the letter. “The need of the hour is for all progressive forces in this country to come together and fight this oppressive force.”
Banerjee has written similar letters in the past as well. In April 2021, she urged opposition parties to unite against the BJP, writing letters to top leaders of non-BJP parties in the midst of the West Bengal assembly polls.
The letter showed Banerjee was declaring war against the judiciary, BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.
“The chief minister’s allegations of the BJP using central agencies is nothing new. But today, her letter has proved that she has declared war against the judiciary and the country’s courts,” Bhattacharya said. “She is indirectly asking for protests against the judiciary. The party doesn’t have faith on the federal structure and is competing with the Centre.”
“We have seen the TMC’s national overdrive in 2014 and 2019. After its misadventure in Goa and Tripura, we hope it will learn its lesson,” he said. “This time, too, its aspirations to play a pivotal role in national politics will fall flat.”
The TMC put up candidates in the recent assembly elections in Goa but failed to win a seat. It had also contested the civic polls in Tripura in November last year, but managed to win in just one municipal ward in the elections that was swept by the BJP.
Congress leader Abdul Mannan said the TMC lacked credibility in the fight against the BJP.
“As the Trinamool Congress is facing the heat over several corruption and criminal cases, it is trying to reach out to the Congress,” Mannan said. “Until a few days back, we were regularly attacked by TMC leaders. So, what has changed so suddenly that they are reaching out to us?”