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TMC today said its office received a call from CBI shortly after it announced a protest-programme against the land bill on April 8 and alleged that the investigation agency was working at the instance of "a political party".
"We announced a protest-programme against the land bill on April 8. Shortly after that, CBI called up our office," TMC Secretary General Partha Chatterjee told a press conference here. He said the CBI (officer) wanted to speak to TMC all- India General Secretary Subrata Bakshi.
"They wanted his phone number and it was given. We have nothing to hide. We are a transparent political party. We receive hundreds of letters everyday and we give reply. If we receive any letter from CBI, we will reply to it," he said.
The TMC leader also wondered why the CBI resorted to such an act before an election and said that it had done this before the Bongaon Lok Sabha by-election last February.
"They (CBI) resorted to such an act before the Bongaon Lok Sabha by-election in February last. Now again before the ensuing civic body polls, they have done this. CBI is working at the instance of a political party," he alleged. Chatterjee said that the TMC would organise a rally in the metropolis as well as in other parts of the state on April 8 to protest against the "draconian" land bill of the BJP government.
The TMC's rally against the land bill comes in the backdrop of allegations by opposition parties, including Left, that both BJP and TMC are having a covert understanding as the latter has helped the BJP government in passing bills in the Rajya Sabha. Senior TMC leader and MP Sougata Roy said it was the party's consistent policy to oppose the forcible land acquisition policy. "It is our consistent policy, we have opposed the bill from the very beginning. There has been no change in our stand against BJP. If any bills come in Parliament, we decide it on the basis of merit," Roy said.
