With just 11 days left for the first phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, tensions have escalated once again between Mamata Banerjee's Trinamul Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and in West Bengal. The latest confrontation revolves around the National Investigation Agency (NIA), with the TMC and BJP embroiled in a dispute over the agency's actions. The TMC has filed an FIR against the NIA, while the agency claims that its team was attacked by a mob. Accusing the BJP of exploiting central agencies during the electoral code of conduct, the TMC plans to lodge a complaint with the Election Commission of India (EC). A TMC delegation is scheduled to depart for Delhi on April 8 to address the issue.
TMC MP Dola Sen, who was part of the delegation, expressed concerns about the alleged misuse of central agencies by the BJP government during the Model Code of Conduct. She stated that the delegation visited the poll panel twice in the previous week to address these issues. Sen emphasised the importance of the EC being perceived as an impartial authority. Despite assurances from the EC to address the matter, she claimed that no action was taken. She also questioned the inactivity of the NIA over the past two years, suggesting it should have been more vigilant, according to a report on Hindi News18 website.
The TMC levelled accusations of a political "conspiracy" between the NIA and the BJP, suggesting secret meetings and bribery aimed at undermining West Bengal's ruling party during the upcoming general elections.
The allegation emerged a day after an incident in which an NIA team faced an attack from villagers in Bhupatinagar, East Midnapore. The team was attempting to arrest two local TMC leaders in connection with a bomb blast incident that occurred in December 2022.
Earlier, state finance minister Chandrima Bhattacharya announced that a 10-member TMC team would visit the EC to demand a probe into the recent events. This move aligns with Mamata and her party's long-standing accusation against the Centre, alleging the misuse of central investigative agencies to target political opponents nationwide.
A 10-member delegation from the TMC is scheduled to meet with the poll panel on April 8. The team includes prominent figures such as Derek O'Brien, Mohammad Nadimul Haq, Dola Sen, Saket Gokhale, Sagarika Ghosh, Vivek Gupta, Arpita Ghosh, Shantanu Sen, Abir Ranjan Biswas, and Sudeep Raha.
The wife of arrested TMC leader Monobrata Jana has filed an FIR against NIA officials, alleging that they attempted to outrage her modesty after forcibly entering her residence in Bhupatinagar under the pretext of conducting a probe, news agency PTI reported, citing a police officer's statement on April 7.
The NIA had arrested two key conspirators, Balai Charan Maity and Manobrata Jana, on April 6 in connection with a 2022 blast case in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district, which resulted in the death of three individuals.
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