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West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is staging a dharna (sit-in protest) over the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) attempt to question Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar in connection with various chit fund scams.
How did it all begin? The fast-paced developments began on February 3. The face-off between the CBI and the Kolkata Police started when a team of around 40 officers of the central investigative agency arrived at Kolkata Police chief Kumar's residence at Loudon Street in central Kolkata. The officials were stopped by sentries and police officials.
The team had gone to question Kumar in connection with various chit fund scam cases.
A team of Kolkata Police officers rushed to the spot to speak to the CBI officials and tried to enquire if they had the documents required for questioning Kumar.
Subsequently, a small team of CBI officials was taken to the Shakespeare Sarani police station for further discussions. After commotion ensued, some CBI officers were forcibly bundled into police jeeps and taken to the police station.
Following this, in an unprecedented move, Banerjee sat on a dharna to protest CBI’s attempt to question Kumar.
Mamata Banerjee’s allegations Banerjee claimed that the CBI knocked on the doors of Kumar without a search warrant.
She also said that she was staging the dharna to protest 'insults' she faced at the hands of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National President Amit Shah.
She alleged they want to impose President's rule in whichever states the Opposition is in power.
"I can assure....I am ready to die, but I am not ready to bow down before the Modi government. We won't allow imposition of Emergency...Please save India, save democracy, save the Constitution," Banerjee said.
What is happening now? Banerjee continues to stage her dharna in Kolkata. Early on February 4 she that she will continue her 'Satyagraha' till the country and its Constitution are 'saved'.
She remained awake overnight on a makeshift stage, along with some senior ministers and party leaders.
"This is a Satyagraha and I will continue till the country is saved," Banerjee told mediapersons present at the dharna venue.
It is unclear as to when the sit-in protest would be called off.
Amit Mitra, the Finance Minister of West Bengal, is expected to present the state’s Budget for financial year 2019-20 in the Legislative Assembly on February 4. It remains unclear if this would go ahead as planned and if Banerjee would skip the session.
Meanwhile, a PTI report suggests that the CBI is likely to move the Supreme Court of India (SC) on February 4 claiming its investigation in ponzi scams was being obstructed by the West Bengal government and the state police.
The detention of the CBI team by Kolkata police on the evening of February 3 perplexed the agency top brass as it does not have a full-time chief to take a call in such politically-sensitive matters.
CBI’s newly appointed Director RK Shukla is yet to take charge.
Political reactions Opposition parties on February 3 expressed solidarity with Banerjee. The Indian National Congress termed the CBI’s action 'mala fide' and an 'assault' on the federal polity.
“I spoke with Mamata Di tonight and told her we stand shoulder to shoulder with her. The happenings in Bengal are a part of the unrelenting attack on India’s institutions by Mr Modi and the BJP. The entire opposition will stand together and defeat these fascist forces,” Congress President Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal's (RJD) Tejashwi Yadav, National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar and Former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, among others, also extended their support to Banerjee.
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