Budget Session Concludes: House passes motion against CBI, ED: ‘Agencies acting with ulterior motive’
Referring to Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari's assertion that minister Partha Bhowmik will be put behind bars within a month with the help of central forces and police, Roy said the country, since 2014, has been witnessing rampant misuse of central agencies for harassing political leaders.
LoP Suvendu Adhikari and BJP MLAs protest outside the Assembly on Monday. (Express photo by Partha Paul ) In a gap of six months, the West Bengal Assembly on Monday passed a motion criticising central agencies Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) for “targeting Trinamool Congress leaders” in the state.
The motion, brought by ruling TMC MLA Tapas Roy under Rule 185 of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly, accused the CBI and ED of “selectively targeting the leaders and functionaries of the ruling party in West Bengal and creating an atmosphere of fear”.
Referring to Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari’s assertion that minister Partha Bhowmik will be put behind bars within a month with the help of central forces and police, Roy said the country, since 2014, has been witnessing rampant misuse of central agencies for harassing political leaders.
“We have seen how the Leader of Opposition (Adhikari) threatened the members of the state’s ruling party, including ministers, with dire consequences,” Roy said.
Bhowmik had earlier moved a privilege motion against Adhikari. “Such open threats to the member of the ruling party and ministers of the state government tend to an attempt to forcefully influence a member of the House in the proper discharge of his constitutional duties, causing obstruction in the function of the House,” Roy contended, adding that the twin agencies – CBI and ED – have been acting in an ulterior motive to arrest the leaders of the ruling party and functionaries on the plea of non-cooperation in conducting investigations.
“BJP is misusing the central agencies, but they should know that these agencies are not their ancestral property,” Roy added.
The BJP MLAs, however, did not participate in the debate. “The ruling party (TMC) is afraid about the investigation of central agencies. That is why they are repeatedly bringing such motions. But, this will not save them. Agencies will do their duties,” Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari said.
The BJP members later staged a walkout, claiming their presence in the Assembly during the passing of the motion would be “tantamount to supporting corruption cases”.
Speaking on the motion, state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said the Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation were selectively targeting their leaders. “Their only motive is to malign TMC. The BJP cannot fight us politically so they are using central agencies against us,” she said.
Later, talking to reporters, BJP chief whip Manoj Tigga called the allegations baseless and said: “We walked out of the Assembly as we think staying there tantamount to supporting what the TMC is saying, which is nothing but a blatant lie,” he said.
Last September, the TMC had brought a similar motion against central agencies. Then taking part in the debate, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not behind the misuse of Central agencies, some BJP leaders were.
Since last August, the CBI and ED have arrested several TMC leaders and ministers for their alleged role in a number of corruption cases. While TMC strongman in Birbhum Anubrata Mondol was arrested in a cattle smuggling case by the CBI and ED, former education minister Partha Chatterjee was arrested in school jobs scam. Several other TMC leaders have been arrested or interrogated.
Monday was the last day of the ongoing Budget session.
Share
