On Thursday, October 26, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a raid at the residence of West Bengal Minister Jyoti Priya Mallick at Salt Lake in Kolkata for his alleged connection in a case of corruption linked to ration distribution. As ED continues to search the WB Minister’s residence, West Bengal CM and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee lashed at the central agency threatening it with police action if the senior Trinamool leader was harmed in any way.
Jyoti Priya Mallick who is currently serving as forest minister in Mamata Banerjee’s government earlier held the food minister portfolio.
TMC minister Jyotipriya Mallick unwell, will lodge FIR against BJP if anything happens to him during ED raids: Mamata Banerjee
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 26, 2023
Speaking in a press conference at her Kalighat residence Mamata said, “BJP is in engaged in a devious strategy under the guise of ED raids on opposition leaders nationwide ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. It will not help them to win. Jyotipriya Mallick is in poor health. He is suffering from high blood sugar. We will file an FIR against the BJP and the ED if any harm befalls him during searches at his residence.”
Referring to the raid at Mallick’s house, Mamata hit out at the BJP by saying, “What atrocities and lawlessness are occurring? BJP is playing a dirty game. I want to know whether they there has been even one such raid at the residence of any BJP leader? Neither they nor we will remain in power forever. New generation will come up to take over. But they are leaving blunders for the next generation.”
BJP targets Mamata Banerjee was discriminating against TMC MP Mahua Moitra
The moment Mamata Banerjee stepped in to support her cabinet minister, the BJP cornered her for her perceived discrimination against Mahua Moitra, another TMC leader who has recently been under investigation in connection with the cash-for-query scam.
Notably, the TMC supremo has not spoken a word in connection with Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra being investigated by the Ethics Committee in the alleged cash-for-query scam.
Targeting Trinamool Congress for its stoic silence in Mahua Moitra’s case, the BJP claimed Mahua Moitra has been “abandoned” and that Banerjee’s silence is an admission of her party leader’s guilt.
“TMC’s official stand on Mahua Moitra is that “We won’t comment. Said MP will defend herself” Does it mean 1)TMC accepts Mahua Moitra has made serious breaches including giving her log in to be operated from foreign soil by a rival corporate entity in exchange for kickbacks? 2) If so, then why is TMC still retaining her rather than sacking her? 3) Is the TMC afraid of taking this action because the party itself has something to hide? Perhaps people in the party knew or endorsed it? TMC must clarify,” BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonwalla questioned.
TMC’s official stand on Mahua Moitra is that “We won’t comment. Said MP will defend herself”
— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) October 22, 2023
Does it mean
1)TMC accepts Mahua Moitra has made serious breaches including giving her log in to be operated from foreign soil by a rival corporate entity in exchange for kickbacks ?…
Earlier, senior BJP leader Amit Malviya, who is co-incharge of the party’s Bengal operations, said it was no surprise that Mamata Banerjee has “abandoned” Moitra.
Mahua Moitra being investigated in the cash-for-query scam
The Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha, meanwhile, has called Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on October 31, over the cash-for-query allegations against her. The decision was taken after the panel held its first meeting today wherein it was concluded that the charges against Moitra are “very serious” and warrant a full investigation.
Moitra has been accused of taking Rs 2 crore in cash to ask, in Parliament, questions allegedly designed to target the Adani Group.
The enquiry was initiated after BJP MP Nishikant Dubey earlier wrote to the Lok Sabha Speaker, alleging the involvement of Mahua Moitra in the ‘Cash for Query’ scandal. He further claimed that he had proof of the charges as given to him by Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai.
The Trinamool Congress has distanced itself from charges facing Moitra. The party said last week it would take an “appropriate decision” after the Ethics Committee inquiry.
