Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee sat on a dharna to ‘save the constitution’ after a huge showdown between the police and officials of the Central Bureau of Investigation.
The CBI officers wanted to question Kolkata police chief Rajeev Kumar in two Ponzi schemes, but the CBI officials who turned up at Mr Kumar’s home were taken to a local police station and allegedly detained. “There is total constitutional breakdown. It is my job to protect my officers,” the Chief Minister told reporters in the evening. “They (the BJP) cannot fight is politically. That’s why they are resorting to all this… Mr (Ajit) Doval is doing whatever PM wants him to do, he is the one giving all the instructions to CBI,” she said.
Trinamool leader Derek O’Brien alleged that the BJP was planning a “constitutional coup.” Opposition leaders have also spoken out in support of Ms Banerjee, with RJD chief Tejashwi Yadav saying the state government had to take the move due to “political decisions” the CBI had been taking at the BJP’s behest. Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha also slammed the centre for the showdown in Kolkata. Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi also criticized the CBI’s action.
The CBI officers, who were released later, are planning to meet the Governor. Ms Banerjee is sitting on dharna at the designated spot for protests in Central Kolkata, accompanied by Kolkata police chief Rajeev Kumar.