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News Desk: Addressing the gathering on the occasion of TMC Chhatra Parishad Foundation Day at Kalighat, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday slammed the BJP led central government over using agencies like ED when failed to compete with the TMC in politics. Her comments came after the ED summoned her nephew Abhishek Banerjee and his wife for questioning in a money laundering case linked to an alleged coal scam in the state.
She said “Our priority is to work for the people. When the BJP govt in Delhi cannot compete with us in politics, they use agencies… Few people had left us but now they have returned because they know that their home belongs here”
“Why do we say Jai Hind, Vande Mataram and Khela Hobe? We believe students are the ones who start moving forward with helpless people. They’re the future. BJP is suppressing the voices of students, teachers, government employees and on social media. I want them to become new equation of politics. I want students of West Bengal to lead the path. The BJP government is inhuman. This govt doesn’t love people and is selling the country” she added.
She also said “BJP ministers are hand in glove with coal mafia and have stayed at hotels run by them during elections. I have never come across such a vindictive party and a government in my political life. If you show us ED, we will also send proof against BJP leaders to the central agency. A section of BJP ministers and leaders are working hand in glove with the coal mafia. They even stayed at hotels run by them during elections”
“National Human Rights Commission and all other commissions have become political and all their members are from BJP. In post-poll violence, 5 BJP workers and 16 TMC workers had died. We have no problem with CBI, but why are they taking BJP leaders with them to villages?” she asked.
Meanwhile her nephew and TMCs national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said “BJP thinks it can put pressure on us by using ED against us but we will emerge stronger”
Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira Banerjee summoned by ED in coal smuggling case
Earlier in the day, TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and his wife Rujira Banerjee was summoned by the ED in coal smuggling case. Abhishek Banerjee has been summoned to join the investigation on September 6 whereas his wife Rujira has been asked by the ED to appear on September 3.
Abhishek Banerjee’s lawyer Sanjay Basu has been summoned to appear on September 3. Two senior police officials, Shyam Singh (DIG Midnapore Range) and Gyanwant Singh (ADG CID), have also been summoned for September 8 and September 9, respectively.
The case, filed under criminal sections of the (PMLA), was filed by the ED after studying a November, 2020 FIR of the CBI that alleged a multi-crore coal pilferage scam related to the Eastern Coalfields Ltd mines in the state’s Kunustoria and Kajora areas in and around Asansol.
Local state operative Anup Majhi alias Lala is alleged to be the prime suspect in the case.
The ED had earlier claimed that Abhishek Banerjee was a beneficiary of funds obtained from this illegal trade. He has been denying all charges.
