The Congress today alleged that TMC Parliamentary Party leader in Lok Sabha Sudip Bandyopadhyay's arrest by the CBI was "vendetta unleashed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his detractors" and wondered if it was in reaction to the "opposition unity".
"Is the TMC MP's arrest a reaction to the opposition unity?," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala asked.
Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "unleashing vendetta" on his political opponents, he said, "Everyday we see the manner and fashion in which the CBI, ED and other investigating agencies are subjected to pressure by none less than the prime minister and his office to unleash vendetta on his political opponents and on anyone who raises a voice."
Surjewala alleged that from the day Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee addressed a joint press conference with Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders, "a new wave of vendetta has been unleashed by Modiji".
Recalling that the day TMC MP Tapas Pal was arrested, he had named Union minister Babul Supriyo for his "role" in the chit fund scam, the Congress leader asked, "Did Modiji arrest Babul Supriyo? Did the CBI even call him for questioning?"
"The arrest of Bandyopadhyay is nothing but a step in the same chain of events of unleashing vendetta, revenge and suppressing the voice of the opposition. Modiji must realise that any dictatorial attempt of this nature has always been repelled by the country as also by the very fundamentals of our democracy."
The CBI today arrested Bandyopadhyay in connection with the alleged Rose Valley chit fund scam, the second such arrest of a TMC MP within a week.
Bandyopadhyay, who arrived at the CBI's Kolkata office at around 11 am, was subjected to more than four hours of interrogation, after which he was arrested.
The TMC MP was summoned thrice earlier by the central investigating agency.
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