Mission Rajghat: TMC to go to pray on Oct 2, if permission to protest not granted, says Mamata

 CM denounces ED summoning Abhishek, BJP hits back

PTI, Kolkata, Sep 11, 2023 : Lashing out at the central government for what she termed its “vendetta politics”, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee asserted on Monday that her partymen would pray at Rajghat, if permission to protest there on Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary was denied.

She also denounced the summons sent by the Centre’s Enforcement Directorate to her nephew and TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee accused in the school jobs scam as well as in another case related to cow smuggling, and termed it as a bid to “browbeat a youth leader”.

The Trinamool Congress supremo who has been engaged in a war of words with the state’s Governor C V Ananda Bose over various issues, however, made light of missives sent by him to the state government and her, stating that he had simply sent her “best wishes for the upcoming foreign trip.” Banerjee on Tuesday is embarking on a visit to Dubai and Spain to seek investments.

“I am going abroad after 5 years; no permission was given for foreign travels earlier, though I had several invitations,” Banerjee said.

“Delhi police is not our enemy, but they will not be able to give us permission to protest at Rajghat as that will be a political call… However, we can still go there to pray, that is always permissible,” Banerjee told a press conference here.

The TMC had sought permission to protest against non-release of NREGA dues to Bengal, in large numbers at three venues in Delhi including the Rajghat where Gandhi’s ashes are kept.

Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu’s arrest in a corruption case seemed “vindictive”, she said. 

Describing Mamata's allegation of "vendetta politics" on ED summons to her nephew as "baseless", the BJP wondered whether "creating obstacles in free and fair probe" is part of the political agenda of the ruling party in the state. 

"Will the ED and Central Bureau of Investigation take permission from the Chief Minister and Abhishek Banerjee before summoning TMC leaders accused in various graft cases? The TMC tries to malign our party by accusing us of vendetta politics when probe agencies summon their leaders. The CBI and ED are independent agencies. "Is creating obstacles in free and fair probe part of TMC's political agenda when its leaders are summoned by the ED and the CBI," BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said.