Mamata Banerjee Calls For Opposition Meet Over Probe Agencies' "Misuse"

Mamata Banerjee has written to opposition leaders across the country expressing "deep concern" over what she alleges is central agencies misused by the ruling BJP to target rivals, and has called for a meeting to discuss a "way forward".

The Bengal Chief Minister said, in a letter dated Sunday, that the BJP government at the Centre used central agencies to target political opponents "just when elections are around the corner" anywhere in the country.

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Our Hon'ble Chairperson Mamata Banerjee writes to all Opposition leaders & CMs, expressing her concern over BJP India's direct attacks on Democracy. BJP has repeatedly attacked the federal structure of our country and now, it's time to unitedly fight this oppressive regime.

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- All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCOfficial) 29 Mar 2022

"I urge that everyone of us come together for a meeting to deliberate on the way forward at a place as per everyone's convenience and suitability. The need of the hour is for all progressive forces in this country to come together and fight this oppressive force," she wrote, urging a "unified and principled opposition" to make way for a government "that our country deserves".

The letter emerged on a day her nephew, Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, sought more time from the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which had summoned him today in a coal scam case.

"Central agencies such as the ED, CBI, Central Vigilance Commission (CVC)and the Income Tax Department are being used to target, harass and corner political opponents across the country for vendetta," Mamata Banerjee wrote in the letter.

"We all must resist the ruling BJP's intention to misuse these central agencies with the sole intent of suppressing opposition leaders. Central agencies are jolted to action just when elections are round the corner."

She said laws "bulldozed through" parliament during an opposition walkout enabled the Centre to extend the tenure of the ED and CBI chiefs.

The Chief Minister also alleged that people "are not getting justice" because of "biased political interferences".

"I have the highest regards for the judiciary. But at present due to certain biased political interferences, people are not getting justice which is a dangerous trend in our democracy. In our democratic system, judiciary, media and public are important pillars. If any part is disrupted, the system collapses," she said.

"As opposition parties, it is our constitutional responsibility to hold this government accountable for their actions, to resist the stifling og voices of defence," added Ms Banerjee.

Since her huge victory in Bengal, versus the BJP's mighty election machinery, the Chief Minister has been at the centre of opposition discussions to join forces and fight the BJP in the 2024 national election.

Ms Banerjee has reached out to other opposition Chief Ministers like Telangana's K Chandrasekhar Rao and Tamil Nadu's MK Stalin. She has also campaigned in Uttar Pradesh for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, whose Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) recently won Punjab, its first major state after Delhi.