: A call by the CBI at the headquarters of the Trinamool Congress here on Thursday triggered strong reactions from the party. It raised speculations over the central agency “acting at the behest of a political party.”
“We wonder why this happened. The call came immediately after we announced our decision to protest against the Land Bill,” TMC secretary general Partha Chaterjee told journalists at the party headquarters.
According to the sources in the TMC, a person who introduced himself as a CBI officer phoned on the landline of the party office in the afternoon. The caller expressed his wish to speak to TMC general secretary Subrata Bakshi, but the party functionaries told him that Mr Bakshi was away in the districts for the preparation of upcoming civic polls.
Mr Chatterjee said that the “CBI has been utilised” during the by-polls in West Bengal a few months ago.
According to the TMC leader, the timing of the call is crucial as it comes weeks before the civic polls in the State.
“We are a transparent party, we have nothing to hide,” Mr Chaterjee said.
The TMC leaders said that the party receives hundreds of letters a day, and accordingly if the CBI writes to them they will respond.
TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee who is in north Bengal has expressed displeasure on the developments.
Mr Chaterjee said that the TMC will not yield to such pressures and Ms Banerjee will participate in the protest against the Bill on April 8.
Earlier this year, the CBI sent a notice to the TMC party office in connection with the Saradha scam which the party has denied.
Commenting on the developments, Leader of Opposition and State Secretary of Communist Party of India ( Marxist) Surjya Kanta Mishra said that the party wants the CBI to question Ms Banerjee over the alleged financial irregularities of her party and the sale of her paintings to Saradha group chairman Sudipta Sen.
‘Ms Banerjee will participate in the protest against the land Bill on April 8’
