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'Not afraid of any intimidation,' says Mamata Banerjee hours after CBI notice to nephew's family members
"As long as there is life in me, I will not be afraid of any intimidation," Banerjee said at a programme in Kolkata on International Mother Language Day, according to news agency PTI.
West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee on Sunday said that she is not afraid of anyone and cannot be intimidated with jail or something else.
"As long as there is life in me, I will not be afraid of any intimidation," Banerjee said at a programme in Kolkata on International Mother Language Day, according to news agency PTI.
"We have fought against guns and are not afraid of fighting against rats," PTI further quoted her as saying.
The remarks were made after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) served notice to TMC MP and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee's wife and sister-in-law on Sunday in connection with a case of alleged coal pilferage.
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"Let there be a challenge in 2021, let us see whose strength is more; there will be only one game in 2021 and I will be the goalkeeper in that match and want to see who wins and who loses," Banerjee said. "We have not learnt to lose and they won't be able to defeat us," Banerjee also said without naming anyone.
West Bengal is set to hold Assembly elections in April or May. Ahead of the polls for the 294 Assembly seats, a fierce battle has broken out between the ruling TMC and challenger Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) which is hoping to oust Banerjee.
The CBI served the notice in the name of Abhishek Banerjee's wife Rujira Banerjee and sister-in-law Menaka Gambhir in connection with a case of alleged coal pilferage. It asked Rujira to remain present at her address "for the purpose of answering certain questions relating to the case". Gambhir has also been asked to join the probe.
In November last year, the investigation agency had registered an FIR against the alleged kingpin of the pilferage racket Manjhi alias Lala, Eastern Coalfield Ltd (ECL) general managers Amit Kumar Dhar and Jayesh Chandra Rai besides ECL chief of security Tanmay Das, area security inspector, Kunustoria Dhananjay Rai and Senior station inspector and security in-charge of Kajor area Debashish Mukherjee.
It is alleged that accused Manjhi Lala is involved in the illegal mining and theft of coal from leasehold mines of ECL in Kunustoria and Kajora areas, the sources said.
(With agency inputs)
