Daijiworld Media Network - Kolkata

Kolkata, Jan 9: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday led a protest march in Kolkata against the Enforcement Directorate’s searches at the residence and offices of political consultancy firm I-PAC chief Pratik Jain, accusing the BJP-led central government of misusing central agencies for political vendetta ahead of the 2026 assembly elections.

Accompanied by senior Trinamool Congress leaders, ministers, MPs, MLAs and party supporters, the TMC supremo began the march from the 8B Bus Stand area in the city. Protesters raised slogans against the Centre, alleging selective targeting of opposition parties through investigative agencies.

The rally came a day after Banerjee made a dramatic visit to Jain’s Loudon Street residence while the ED was conducting search operations there. The chief minister alleged that the agency was attempting to seize TMC’s internal documents, hard disks and confidential organisational data that had no connection with any financial probe.

Earlier in the day, several TMC MPs were detained during a protest outside the Union Home Ministry in New Delhi, where they were demonstrating against what they described as the Centre’s misuse of investigative agencies. Banerjee strongly condemned the detention, calling it “shameful and unacceptable” and an assault on democratic rights.

In a post on X, Banerjee said dragging elected representatives on the streets for exercising their democratic right to protest was not law enforcement but “arrogance in uniform”. “This is a democracy, not the BJP’s private property,” she said.

Accusing the BJP of double standards, the chief minister said democracy does not function on the “convenience or comfort of those in power”. She alleged that while BJP leaders expect special privileges during protests, opposition MPs are “dragged, detained and humiliated” for raising their voices. “This double standard exposes the BJP’s idea of democracy — obedience, not dissent,” she said.

Stressing the need for mutual respect between institutions and political actors, Banerjee said attempts to humiliate elected representatives would only strengthen the assertion of constitutional values such as tolerance, dissent and democratic morality. “We are citizens by right, not at the mercy of a chair, a badge, or a position of power,” she added.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate has moved the Calcutta High Court seeking a CBI probe against Banerjee, senior police officials and others, alleging obstruction during its raids on I-PAC and its director. In its writ petition, the ED claimed there was direct involvement of the highest political executive and an abuse of police power, leading to a “complete takeover” of its search operation by the state machinery.

The federal agency has urged the high court to direct the Central Bureau of Investigation to register FIRs and probe the entire incident, including the alleged role of the chief minister, police officials and others involved.