Not by autonomy alone

Opposition politicians talking about autonomy for central agencies are hypocritical when they discourage it in the states they govern

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wants agencies like the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to be made autonomous. Her call has been backed by several opposition parties and politicians. She is, no doubt, right in her demand, but has no moral authority to demand the same. State politicians have done nothing to free their own police forces from political interference, including Ms Banerjee’s own West Bengal police. This is true of almost all states, where police forces are highly politicised and do the bidding of the ruling party on most occasions. It is only when courts ask them to