TMC flays BJP for trying to obstruct constitution amid CBI controversy

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) Wednesday organised a rally at Thakurnagar where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public meeting last week, and senior party leaders accused the BJP of trying to create "constitutional crisis" in West Bengal. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is following the orders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and has become the "BJP Bureau of Investigation" that has singled out opposition leaders, Kolkata Mayor and TMC leader Firhad Hakim alleged at the rally in Thakurnagar in North 24 Parganas district.

Thakurnagar is known as the hub of Matua community. The Matuas, originally hailing from East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), started migrating to West Bengal in the 1950s, mostly due to religious persecution there. The community, with an estimated population of three million in the state, exhorts influence in at least five Lok Sabha seats in North and South 24 Parganas districts.

At his rally here on Saturday, Modi had made a strong pitch for the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, insisting that it would bring justice and respectability to those who faced religious persecution.

Hakim alleged that BJP leaders remembered the Matuas just ahead of elections. "What have you (BJP) been doing for the past four-and-a-half years? You have come here just for the sake of votes. But I can assure you that you will return empty-handed from here," the senior TMC leader said.

"The central government led by the BJP is trying to create a constitutional crisis in West Bengal. We will never let that happen. The people of this state will not a give a single seat to the BJP in Lok Sabha elections," Hakim said.

"The CBI has become very active against the TMC and other opposition leaders but is mum on BJP leaders who are also accused in chit fund cases. The CBI has turned into a "BJP Bureau of Investigation," he said. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was on a sit-in protest for three days against the CBI's attempt to question the Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar in connection with chit fund scams.

She called off her dharna Tuesday evening after the Supreme Court forbade the CBI from taking any coercive action against Kumar, but vowed to wage a battle against the Narendra Modi government till it was ousted from power. The TMC leadership has also filed an FIR against the BJP and the BJP-aligned faction of All India Matua Mahasangha for felling trees to make space for the landing of Modi's chopper at Thakurnagar on February 2.

"Felling trees is a crime under environmental laws. We have also forwarded a copy of the FIR to the state forest department for necessary action," senior minister and TMC leader Jyotipriyo Mullick said. Mullick, who is a member of the TMC's core committee, said the party will also organise a rally at Maynaguri in north Bengal after Modi's scheduled meeting there on Friday.

(With inputs from agencies.)