West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is on a sit-in in front of the Metro Channel at Esplanade in Kolkata from Sunday night after CBI officials tried to enter Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar’s residence to allegedly question him in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam case.
Ms Banerjee said her agitation was to “save democracy, the Constitution and the country.”
She blamed the Central government, the BJP’s leadership and the National Security Adviser, for ''forcing'' her to go on an agitation.
Ms Banerjee has decided to skip the crucial Budget session of the Assembly. She even chaired a Cabinet meeting at a police outpost near the protest venue.
Shiv Sahay Singh reports from the protest venue.
Here are the latest updates:
Mamata dharna to continue beyond February 8, but with less noise
As day 2 of her sit-in winds down, Trinamool officials have come up with a clarification. That Ms. Banerjee won’t call off her protest on February 8. But she would go on with it with less noise by replacing loudspeakers with small sound boxes, Trinamool Congress officials say. There's a restriction on the use of loudspeakers as secondary board examinations begin from that date.
Meanwhile, DMK MP Kanimozhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav have reached Kolkata, and are headed to the protest venue.
PTI reports:
Let CBI to do its work: Mukul Roy tells Mamata
Mukul Roy, a former Trinamool Congress MP who was questioned in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam case, has urged Ms. Banerjee to allow the CBI to do its work.
The BJP leader, once a close associate of the Chief Minister, also defended himself in connection with the scam, a ponzi scheme through which lakhs of investors were duped of their savings, saying the CBI had failed to find any dirt on him.
He said:
“The investigation into the Saradha chit fund case has been going on since 2014. In 2015, the CBI called me for questioning and I was questioned by them for eight hours. After that, I was with Trinamool for two years. I managed the 2016 Assembly elections for the party.
“The CBI is an independent agency. It has called people from various parties for questioning at one point of time or the other. So, those who don’t have anything to hide will comply. It had nothing against me. The CBI is investigating according to the orders of the Supreme Court and Mamata should let it work.”
Mr. Roy, who was accompanied by Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and S.S. Ahluwalia, and BJP leaders Kailash Vijayvargiya, Bhupender Yadav, Anil Baluni, submitted a memorandum to the poll panel to highlight instances of the Trinamool disallowing BJP leaders from campaigning in the State.
“The question is whether democracy will remain in Bengal or not. There is no space for any political opposition in the State,” Mr. Roy told reporters.
’Kolkata Police sought CBI’s investigation plan’
The Kolkata Police wanted information on the “investigation plan” of the CBI officials who were detained for a few hours at a city police station, PTI quoted a senior CBI official as saying.
According to PTI , the CBI official said the police had also refused to acknowledge the request of the CBI seeking cooperation in carrying out its investigation at the residence of the Kolkata Police Commissioner.
Kolkata Police officials kept pressuring the CBI team, which was forcefully taken to the Shakespeare Sarani police station, to reveal “the investigation plan”, the official claimed, says PTI .
“Due to deliberate, forceful, physical obstruction caused by the Kolkata police, the CBI could not complete the proceedings and had to return,” said the official, who according to PTI requested anonymity.
The CBI has written thrice seeking the presence of Mr. Kumar, who was a member of the Special Investigation Team of the Kolkata Police probing the chit fund scam, the official said. The first notice was sent on October 18, 2017 to appear for questioning the next day but he cited law and order duties of the ensuing festive season. The next notice was issued on October 23, 2017, but again he excused himself from questioning. The CBI then sent the third notice on December 8, 2018 but he responded, saying the queries can be sent to him and he will reply.
Modi govt playing with fire: Shatrughan Sinha
Disgruntled BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha on Monday fired a fresh salvo at the Modi government, accusing it of playing with fire by targeting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee whom he called a tried and tested mass leader.
The second consecutive term Patna Sahib MP also rued that the party in power at the Centre has almost lost its credibility and people are not accepting anything ''we are saying''.
“Sirji, what is happening. Why are we playing with fire through the much-maligned, disgraced and condemned government institutions, that too when elections are around the corner,” Mr. Sinha, who had recently annoyed his party by addressing an Opposition rally organised by Ms Banerjee at Kolkata, tweeted.
“By targeting the tried and tested mass leader with impeccable image, Bengal Tigress @MamataOfficial the lady who is identified with hawai chappal and cotton saris. We have almost lost our credibility and people are not accepting whatever we are saying. Let us not get into knee-jerk panic action reaction,” Mr. Sinha said in an another tweet.
For quite some time, Mr. Sinha has been criticising the leadership of Mr. Modi and BJP president Amit Shah, calling it a one man army and two-man show.
He has also indicated that if denied a ticket by the BJP, he would seek re-election from Patna Sahib as a nominee of another party.
West Bengal Governor sends report to Centre
West Bengal Governor K.N. Tripathi has sent a confidential report to the Ministry of Home Affairs on the current scenario in the State, sources in from Raj Bhawan told The Hindu .
Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to the Governor.
Mr. Tripathi told Mr. Singh that he had summoned the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police and asked them to take immediate action to resolve the situation, PTI reported, quoting Raj Bahwan officials.
Protest will continue till Feb. 8: Mamata
Addressing the gathering, Mamata Banerjee said her sit-in protest would continue till February 8. Insisting that her protest was apolitical, she said her dais only mentioned "Save India" and not her party's name.
The State Board Examinations are set to begin from February 12 and use of microphones and speakers are barred across the State four days ahead of the examinations.
Poet Joy Goswami takes part in the protest along with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, in Kolkata on Monday.
Poet Joy Goswami joins the protest. The Sahitya Akademi award-winning poet was seen exchanging pleasantries with the Chief Minister.
Addressing the crowd, Mr. Goswami said he was participating in the dharna to protect democracy. "This satyagraha is important to stop the divide that has been created in society in recent times."
Protests across West Bengal
Trinamool Congress workers hit the streets from morning in Hooghly, Howrah, Bankura, Burdwan East, Purulia, Birbhum and North 24 Parganas districts, officials said. Effigies of Mr. Modi and Mr. Shah were burnt by them.
In Howrah and Hooghly districts, TMC activists obstructed train movement while they put up blockades on the national highway in Bankura district.
Shouting slogans against the CBI, TMC cadres vowed to continue their fight till the Modi government is defeated in the Lok Sabha polls.
Ms Banerjee had directed party leaders to organise protest marches across the State on Monday between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. without inconveniencing people.
Protest ‘non-political’, says Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addresses the crowd before heading to a Cabinet meet near the protest venue in Kolkata on Monday.
Describing her sit-in as a “non-political” protest, Ms Banerjee said support had poured in for her from different quarters of the country.
Ms Banerjee also asked her party members to ensure that the protest was peaceful.
Welcoming support for her dharna, Banerjee said, “It’s not a political programme. But all political parties can join us in our protest.”
Ms Banerjee maintained that Andhra Pradesh counterpart Chandrababu Naidu, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath, DMK president M.K. Stalin and former J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti were among those who called up to express solidarity to her protest.
Addressing her party workers, who raised slogans against Modi near her dais, Banerjee said, “We want a peaceful demonstration. Please do not burn any effigies here.”
Tejaswi, Kanimozhi to join Mamata's protest
RJD leader Tejaswi Yadav and DMK MP M.K. Kanimozhi are set to meet Mamata Banerjee at the portest venue to express solidarity with her. While Mr. Yadav is expected to reached Kolkata on Manday evening, Ms Kanimozhi will join the protest on Tuesday.
Mamata Banerjee gets support from Akhilesh Yadav
Ms Banerjee has received the support of Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav for her stir after the CBI tried to question the Kolkata Police Commissioner.
Mr. Yadav demanded that the "due process" be followed so that "CBI is not used as a tool of political interference."
BJP acting with vengeance against Mamata: Chandrababu Naidu
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu alleged that the BJP government at the Centre was acting with vengeance against. Banerjee as the Opposition parties’ rally in the West Bengal capital on January 19 had been a great success.
In his daily teleconference with Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders, Mr. Naidu said after Akhilesh Yadav and Mayawati, it was now the turn of Mamata Banerjee to face a “witch-hunt“.
Expressing solidarity with the West Bengal Chief Minister, the TDP chief said, “Cases against those who surrender to the BJP are being lifted. They are digging out old cases against those who oppose the BJP. The recent Kolkata rally was successful, hence the vengeance against Mamata Banerjee.”
Accusing the Narendra Modi government of conspiring to usurp the powers of the State, he said, “They are completely damaging the Centre-state relations.”
“The BJP is deriving pleasure by foisting cases against opposition leaders. They are destroying the constitutional institutions,” Mr. Naidu alleged, adding the issue would be discussed during his visit to New Delhi and an action plan in this regard would be chalked out.
Mamata on dharna to save herself: Javadekar
Union Minister and senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar on Monday claimed that Ms Banerjee was on a dharna to save herself from the CBI.
Mr. Javadekar, at a press conference in Kolkata, said, "This is not Narendra Modi's emergency but Mamata Banerjee's emergency in Bengal. She is on dharna to save herself from the CBI."
The Union HRD Minister claimed that constitutional order has completely broken down in the State, but stopped short of demanding imposition of President's rule in West Bengal.
"We would say both law and order and Constitutional order has completely broken down in the state," Mr. Javadekar said.
On whether the BJP would demand imposition of President's rule in the state, he said, "We won't say anything as of now."
Mamata holds Cabinet meet near protest venue
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is staging a sit-in protest at the Metro Channel held a Cabinet meeting at a police outpost nearby.
The Cabinet meet was held ahead of the Budget, which will be presented in the West Bengal Assembly later in the day. Earlier, Ms Banerjee urged her party MLAs to leave the protest venue and take part in the Budget session proceedings.
Finance Minister Amit Mitra will table the Budget, in the absence of the Chief Minister.
Arrangements are being made to distribute Police medals at a stage next to dharna venue on Monday evening.
DMK extends support to TMC
Tamil Nadu MP Kanimozhi on Monday extended her support to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s sit-in protest over the CBI’s attempt to question the Kolkata Police chief in connection with a chitfund scam.
In a tweet, Kanimozhi said: “Anyone who cares for Democracy, Federalism and Constitution must stand with Ms @MamataOfficial.”
On Sunday night, DMK president M.K. Stalin also extended his support to Ms Banerjee.
“The independence of every institution has been compromised under this fascist BJP Government. I stand with @MamataOfficial Didi in her fight to protect the federal structure of this country and to save democracy,” he said in a tweet.
Rajnath Singh makes statement in Lok Sabha
Trinamool Congress member Sougata Roy speaks in Lok Sabha.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh made a statement in Lok Sabha regarding the situation in Kolkata. Terming the stopping of CBI from performing its duty as “unprecedented”, Mr. Singh said it was “unfortunate” that two law enforcement agencies are at loggerheads. He warned that this may lead to a constitutional breakdown in West Bengal.
Mr. Singh said the CBI was probing a muti-crore chit fund scam that is said to have taken place in several parts of the country including West Bengal. He urged the West Bengal government to cooperate with the central agency in order to book the culprits.
Mr. Singh's statement, however, failed to cut ice with the protesting opposition members. Disruptions forced adjournments in the Lok Sabha twice.
Protest gets support from Opposition leaders
Support from Opposition leaders poured in for West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee whose sit-in over the CBI's attempt to question the Kolkata Police Commissioner in connection with chit fund scams continued on Monday.
Support for Ms Banerjee poured in even as the CBI moved the Supreme Court accusing Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar of destroying evidence related to the case and him of indulging in contempt of court.
"Distressed by the news out of Bengal. A complete breakdown of trust in institutions under an authoritarian Modi Govt obsessed with regaining power at all costs. Mamata Ji is resisting & has the support of all those who understand the agenda behind these moves," tweeted Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) vice-president Jayant Chaudhary .
Speaking to reporters, AAP MP Sanjay Singh said he had given a notice in the Rajya Sabha for suspension of business and demanded discussion on the "misuse of the CBI".
TMC spokesperson Derek O' Brien said all Opposition parties will go to the Election Commission later on Monday over the issue in Bengal.
"Inside the House [Parliament] and outside the House we will all move together. Whatever action we take will do together. This is not the CBI, its the parrot of Amit Shah and Modi.
"We have to save the Constitution, the country and the federal structure. Later today, all opposition parties will go to the Election Commission," Mr. O' Brien said.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu told reporters that he will hold discussions with Opposition party leaders in Delhi on Monday and draft an action plan on a nation-wide movement.
"TDP MPs will strongly protest along with other Opposition leaders today on the CBI issue," he said.
Rashtriya Janata Dal's Manoj Jha said the Opposition's protest was against the pride of the Modi government.
"After the Alok Verma incident CBI does not have any credibility. After the elections, we will see who will go to jail," said Mr. Jha.
"What happened in West Bengal is an attack on a state's federal rights guaranteed by our constitution. We stand with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee," Karnataka CM H.D. Kumaraswamy tweeted this morning.
Mamata addresses farmers from protest venue
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her dharna in Kolkata on February 4, 2019.
From the dharna site in the heart of Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee addressed a State conference of farmers over phone, which the participants at the Netaji Indoor Stadium heard over loudspeakers.
“The BJP, the Modi government have snatched farmers’ sleep,” Ms Banerjee said, claiming that nearly 12,000 farmers have committed suicide in the country.
“Farmers are being cheated before the elections,” she alleged, referring to the sops announced in the interim budget placed by the NDA government in Parliament on Friday.
Addressing the farmers gathering, Ms Banerjee said owing to demonetisation, farmers are in deep distress with many having committed suicide or lost their livelihood.
“Our government is the only one in the country which does not acquire farmland and have returned acquired land in Singur,” Ms Banerjee said.
Highlighting several schemes and benefits that her government has given to farmers since coming to power in 2011, Ms Banerjee said Rs 1,200 crore have been spent by her government for such schemes.
The chief minister said over one crore people were benefited from various social security programmes of the state government.
“Modi government is saying that by 2022, farmers’ income will be doubled, but in Bengal we have already tripled their income,” she said. - PTI
You have shown no proof to back your claim Police Commissioner is tampering with evidence: SC
The Supreme Court on Monday said there is not one evidence shown by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to back their claim that the West Bengal government and the State Police is colluding to destroy electronic evidence in the chit fund cases.
A day after CBI officers, who went to question Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar were detained and released, a Bench of Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjeev Khanna did not take on face value the claim made by CBI in court that it had moved in on Mr. Kumar to prevent the destruction of evidence crucial to their investigation.
Rajnath calls up W.B. Governor
West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi. File
Union Home Minister Rajanth Singh has spoken to West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi to take stock of the situation in the wake of a CBI team being allegedly obstructed by the State police to grill the Kolkata Police Commissioner in the Saradha ponzi scam case, officials said Monday.
The Ministry has decided to deploy Central forces at the official and residential premises of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in West Bengal and the MHA is now “closely monitoring the situation”, they said.
The Home Ministry on February 3 evening received information that officers of the CBI in Kolkata had experienced “intimidation and threat to personal safety in course of investigation into the Saradha scam being conducted under the directions of the Supreme Court”, they said.
Mr. Singh called up the Governor to be apprised of the facts of the “unfortunate and unprecedented situation of CBI officers being manhandled, detained, intimidated and obstructed”, the officials said.
Mr. Tripathi told Mr. Singh that he had summoned the Chief Secretary and Director General of Police (DGP) and asked them to take immediate action to resolve the situation, according to the officials.
Reports were also received that the residence of Joint Director of the CBI was surrounded by Kolkata police, they said.
LS adjourned till noon following protests by TMC members
The proceedings of the Lok Sabha were adjourned for nearly 45 minutes on Monday morning amid protests by Trinamool Congress members over alleged “misuse” of the CBI by the Central government.
TDP members protesting outside the Parliament seeking Special Category Status to Andhra Pradesh, on Monday.
As soon as the House paid obituaries to former members who had died in the recent past, members of the TMC raised the issue, saying they have given notice for an adjournment motion to discuss the issue.
As it happened | Parliament proceedings live: In Lok Sabha, TMC's Sougata Roy accuses govt of misusing CBI
When Speaker Sumitra Mahajan said they can raise the issue after Question Hour, TMC members rushed to the Well of the House and started raising slogans against the BJP.
Members of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) were also in the Well supporting the TMC.
Later, Congress members entered the Well holding placards about the Rafale jet deal and unemployment figures. They, however, did not shout slogans.
The Speaker continued with the Question Hour for 15 minutes and later adjourned the House till noon.
The treasury benches were largely empty with only a few members present in the House.
Mamata continues sit-in, SP leader joins protest
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee during her dharna in Kolkata on February 3, 2019. Kolkata Commissioner of Police Rajeev Kumar (left) is also seen.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday continued her sit-in protest Kolkata over the CBI's attempt to question the Kolkata Police chief in connection with a ponzi scheme scam, as Samajwadi Party leader Kiranmoy Nanda joined her.
The Trinamool Congress chief, surrounded by her Ministers and top party leaders, stayed up the entire night on a makeshift dais at the city hub Dharamtala area, near the Metro Channel, after starting the demonstration around 9 p.m. on Sunday.
There is a blanket security cover in the area.
"This is a Satyagraha and I'll continue till the country is saved," Ms Banerjee said.
(With inputs from Agencies)
