Mamata Banerjee threatens to lodge FIR against BJP, ED if Jyotipriya Mallick dies due to raids

Mamata Banerjee said if Jyotipriya Mallick, who is unwell and has high blood sugar, dies due to the ED raid then FIR would be lodged against BJP and ED. Earlier in the morning ED raided Mallick's residence in Salt Lake in connection with alleged corruption in ration distribution. Also, raids were conducted in the residences of Rajasthan chief minister's son and state Congress president in regard to alleged exam paper leak scam

Kolkata:West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday threatened to file an FIR against both the BJP and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) if forest minister Jyotipriya Mallick, whose residence was raided this morning, dies due to such harassment. "Balu (Jyotipriya Mallick) has high blood sugar and if he dies due to the raid then FIR will be filed against BJP and ED", Banerjee said.

With BJP putting both the Congress and the Trinamool Congress in the same boat over ED raids that were conducted today, Banerjee's statement came hours after Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot condemned BJP for raiding residences of his son Vaibhav Gehlot and state Congress president Govind Singh Dotasra in connection with alleged exam paper leak scam. Gehlot claimed that ED's "Red Rose is happening inside" the state because "BJP does not want women, farmers and the poor to get the guarantees given by the Congress".

Later while addressing a press conference at her Kalighat residence, Bengal CM cited the instance of former Union minister and TMC MP Sultan Ahmed, who died following a cardiac arrest in September 2017. Ahmed, an accused in Narada sting operation reportedly died after receiving a letter in this regard from the CBI, Banerjee alleged.

Banerjee further alleged that wife of TMC MP from Howrah Prasun Banerjee had also died due to the same fear. She said that nobody speaks about it apprehending further harassment. The chief minister also alleged that the agency officials physically harass people during investigation to force them to reveal names.

Referring to the ED raid conducted at Mallick's residence, Banerjee said, "The Durga Puja carnival is being held across the districts today. When people went to Balu's residence to exchange Bijoya greetings they found his house being raided. If raids are being conducted in this manner at the houses of ministers then who all are left in the government?"

She said that if the BJP feels that it can silence everyone in this manner then it is an extremely dirty game. Also, she questioned as to how many BJP leaders' houses were raided by central agencies.

Condemning the Centre over the recent directive to use 'Bharat' instead of 'India' in NCERT textbooks, Banerjee said that West Bengal government would not accept this and would use the two names as Constitution has both India and Bharat. Many even say Hindustan instead of Bharat, she added.

Banerjee also said that TMC would launch an agitation tomorrow morning if Rabindra Nath Tagore's name is not inserted back on the plaque in Santiniketan. She said that Santiniketan has been declared as a World Heritage site because of Tagore's legacy and it is unfortunate that his name was dropped from the plaque.