TMC alleges ‘central agencies working for BJP to disrupt free and fair elections’
TMC sparked a fresh political row on Monday after the party’s general secretary, Abhishek Banerjee’s helicopter was raided at Behala Flying Club by Kolkata IT officials on Sunday.
According to reports, the senior TMC leader’s chopper was undergoing a trial run before Banerjee’s visit to Haldia in Purba Medinipur district for election campaigning when a group of Income Tax officials arrived on scene and forced the chopper from taking off.
The chopper then underwent an extensive search by the IT officials, although nothing was recovered. The party cited the BJP’s unholy nexus with the central investigation agencies, alleging once again that the central investigation agencies are being used to dissuade and harass opposition party leaders and poll candidates in a bid to disrupt the scope of free and fair elections.
Abhishek Banerjee also alleged that the IT officials prevented the helicopter from completing the trial run, misbehaved with the TMC leaders’ security personnel on site, and even forced them to delete a video that captured the officers unruly and intimidating behaviour towards the crew of the helicopter.
Following the allegations, internal sources of the department stated that in order to fulfil the duty of coordinating with law enforcement agencies to guarantee free and fair elections, a team from the IT department was dispatched to Behala Flying Club after an Air Traffic Control report was received about a chopper from Malda, West Bengal, landing at Behala Flying Club. The department also stated that the officers arrived on scene as part of its mandate to prevent illegal money distribution amid elections.
Abhishek Banerjee also said, “Instead of removing the Director General of NIA (National Investigation Agency) and NIA SP, the Election Commission and the BJP have chosen to deploy minions from Income Tax to search and raid my chopper and security personnel today, resulting in no findings,” hinting at the earlier allegations of TMC against NIA SP Dhan Ram Singh’s meeting with BJP leader Jitendra Tiwari, a few days after the Election Commission’s model code of conduct came into force.
TMC and opposition allege BJP-Central Agency Nexus
The political row on Monday has once again raised the issue of central agencies allegiance to the ruling BJP. Many opposition leaders have time and again stated that the central agencies are carrying out raids and inquiries on the BJP’s instructions in a bid to alter the outcome of the polls.
In fact, the number of opposition leaders arrested by central agencies has been remarkably high since the announcement of nationwide polls. Jharkhand’s CM Hemant Soren and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest just a few days prior to the elections have led to widespread speculation about the BJP’s unfair tactics to change the outcome of the elections.
Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi have said that the BJP realises that their lies have been exposed, and as a result, they are now resorting to using central agencies to harass and arrest opposition candidates to prevent the public from electing them.
Many opposition party leaders, activists, and analysts have supported the allegations, especially after the quick series of arrests and raids India has witnessed in the past few weeks. In addition to the electoral bond scam currently making headlines, stringent media restrictions and arrests of activists under draconian UAPA law have become more commonplace than ever.
The Election Commission’s unwillingness to interject in MCC (Model Code of Conduct) violations by BJP ministers has also led to widespread speculation about the EC siding with the BJP ahead of national elections.
TMC leader files a police case against IT officials
Regarding the raid by IT officials on Monday, Abhishek Banerjee said, “When the Income Tax officials couldn’t find anything, a frustrated team of Mr. Modi’s men didn’t let the chopper fly. When Abhishek Banerjee’s security personnel asked the reason, they (I-T officials) engaged in a verbal spat and threatened to detain the chopper illegally. They opened each and every bag and searched every nook and cranny of the chopper”.
He alleged that these unnecessary hassles by IT officials are yet another proof of the BJP colluding with central investigation authorities to prevent free and fair elections. He also said that the party is considering taking legal action against the IT officials responsible for the raid.
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