After the CBI made an unsuccessful bid to question the Kolkata Police commissioner in chit fund scam cases Sunday, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the Centre and accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah of trying to organise a coup in the state.
Alleging the CBI action was "politically vindictive" and an attack on constitutional norms, Banerjee later began a dharna at Esplanade.
Kolkata Police commissioner Rajeev Kumar, West Bengal DG Virendra and ADG (law and order) Anuj Sharma were at the dharna site.
"We had come here to protect the Constitution under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee," a TMC leader said.
Earlier in front of the residence of Kumar, Banerjee also alleged that National Security Advisor Ajit Doval was directing the CBI to harass political opponents, as per orders of the prime minister.
"I feel ashamed to talk to such a prime minister who has blood on his hands," she said.
"Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are trying to organise a coup in the state as we had organised the opposition rally on January 19. We were aware that the CBI will attack us after we organised the rally," Banerjee said, referring to the Brigade rally attended by leaders of about 20 opposition parties.
Banerjee said the CBI's action is politically vindictive.
"Our government arrested chit fund owners when we came to power. It is we who formed an SIT to probe the matter," she said in a hurriedly-called press conference outside Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar's residence.
Let them prove that Kumar is involved in the chit fund scam, she said.
Banerjee said, "Law and order is a state subject. Why should we give you (CBI) everything. From where are they getting such an audacity to come to the police commissioner's residence without any warrant?"
In an unprecedented development, a number of CBI officers, who had gone to question Kolkata Police chief Rajeev Kumar in connection with chit fund scam cases, were bundled into police jeeps, whisked to a police station and briefly detained on Sunday.
Amidst escalating tension between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Centre, Loudon Street in central Kolkata witnessed a virtual showdown between the state police and the CBI.
As politics played out on the street, Banerjee rushed to the residence of Kumar. She had earlier extended her support to Kumar and alleged that the BJP was "misusing power to take control of the police and all other institutions".
Wondering whether the Centre wants to impose President's Rule in the state, Banerjee said she would not attend the placing of the state Budget tomorrow at the state assembly describing the evolving situation as an "emergency".
Kumar, who appeared briefly outside his residence after the chief minister's press conference, said he would talk to the media Monday.
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