Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Friday described the arrest of West Bengal Minister Madan Mitra as “political vendetta.” She said the BJP government was using the CBI as a “political tool.”“Who are these people? Are they super gods?” Ms. Banerjee asked at a press conference here.
She openly challenged the BJP-led government at the Centre to arrest her.
Describing Mr. Mitra’s arrest as “illegal and unconstitutional,” she questioned the jurisdiction of the CBI in arresting her Cabinet colleague. Accusing the BJP of indulging in political vendetta, Ms. Banerjee said the party was using the Central agency as a “political tool.”
She said none from the State government or even the Speaker of the West Bengal Assembly was informed about the arrest. "It is a dangerous situation ... the BJP is trying to bulldoze the democratic institutions,” Ms. Banerjee said.
The Chief Minister also saw a conspiracy in the arrest being made on Friday, stating that his Minister was arrested on the day as courts and Parliament would not function during the weekend. She also challenged the CBI to arrest her.
“I will go and visit Madan at the SSKM Hospital, if he is taken there. Let me see them arrest me. Let me see how many police Narendra Modi has and how many goons Amit Shah have,” Ms. Banerjee said at a press conference here.
She drew a parallel between the Saradha scam and the scam of the Sahara group and said many players had endorsed the Sahara group which did not mean that they were guilty.
Published - December 12, 2014 08:49 pm IST
